NEW SOUTH WALES PREMIER

Otago Witness, Issue 3526, 11 October 1921, Page 15

NEW SOUTH WALES PREMIER

DEATH OF MR JOHN STOREY. SYDNEY. October 5 Mr John Storey, Premier of New South Wales, died early this afternoon. When the House received the news it adjourned for a week. ! W idespread grief is expressed by all sections of the community at the untimely | death of the Premier at the age of 52, | when by his recent trip abroad he had : widened his outlook and had equipped himself fully for his important work. Parliament has adjourned for a fortnight. Sir George Fuller (Leader of the Opposition) paid a touching tribute to the deceased Premier, whom he characterised as ! an able and trusted leader who had earned | the respect of all. Mr Keegan will fill tile vacancy in the House. October 6 ( Generous tributes are being paid to Mr Storey by all classes. Tt is generally considered that he unselfishly sacrificed his life to his high sense of public duty. He will be a great loss to the Labour Party. He was the first Premier of New South Wales to die in office. He will be accorded a State funeral to-morrow. October 7. When the flags at the Town Hall were hoisted at half-mast for the late Mr Storey, the Union Jack flew above the Australian flag. Lord Mavor Lambert ordered the Australian flag to be placed above the Union Jack. Now it so flies. The incident caused much adverse comment. The route of the late Mr Storey’s funeral from the Cathedral to the ‘Railway Station for several hours before the cortege moved off was lined with dense crowds. After an impressive service at the Cathedral, conducted by the Dean and the Primate of Sydney, the procession, I which was headed by the hire Brigade Band and 3COO marching unionists, left I for the Field of Mars Cemetery. At the Railway Station special trains were waitj ipg. The Cathedral, where the body lay ’ in state, was visited by many thousands. It was one of the largest and most repre , sentative funerals held in the State, four motor cars being necessary to convey the floral tributes. Members of the Federal

Labour Party were absent, the secretary telegraphing that they were unable to attend owing to a critical position in the House of Representatives. JMr Storey assumed the Premiership of New South Wales in March of last year, when the Holman Government was defeated by the Labour Party, which secured 45 seats in a House of 90. He was a boilermaker by trade, and in politics was pronouncedly moderate in ki.-> views when sitting in opposition to the Government. Some months ago Mr Storey visited the Old Country, his object being to endeavour to obtain assistance in regard to the country’s finance, and he was moderately successful in his mission. Before leaving for England the state of his health was unsatisfactory. While abroad his condition gradually became worse, and he returned to Australia a very sick man.]