SUDDEN ATTACK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19555, 10 February 1938, Page 9

SUDDEN ATTACK

MR. SAVAGE'S ILLNESS QUICK RECOVERY LIKELY ABSENCE FROM CAUCUS REMAINING IN BED ■ \ (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. The illness of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, will prevent his attendance at the opening of the Government caucus to-morrow. However, he is relieved of pain and is making a quick recovery, but as a precautionary measure will meanwhile stay in bed. The illness came on suddenly, for a few hours before the attack of a severe pain in the side, Mr. Savage was in his office preparing for the Wairarapa visit, where several speeches had to be made. He was apparently in good health, extremely cheerful, and to an interviewer made amusing comment on the Opposition activity, describing it as "garden party politics."

The Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Education, who was obliged to take the Prime Minister's place at Masterton, stated that he called at Mr. Savage's residence when the doctor was completing his examination and found that the pain which had been active during the night had been considerably relieved.

The Prime Minister has not a robust constitution, despite his active and hardy experiences in early life. When he took office, his friends were concerned over the physical effects of the exhausting duties as Leader of the House, but Mr. Savage, who never missed a moment of the Parliamentary sittings, relieved their anxiety. He showed a good capacity for standing up to the strain. The present illness, at first thought to be a temporary chill, is a recurrence of some obscure stomach trouble for which he was examined in hospital at Auckland, the result, it is understood, being negative. It is expected that he will quickly recover from the attack and may possibly attend the caucus before its conclusion.