MOVING TRIBUTE TO MR LYONS

Southland Times, Issue 23791, 13 April 1939, Page 5

MOVING TRIBUTE TO MR LYONS

| REQUIEM MASS AT 1 MELBOURNE FUNERAL AT DEVONPORT t TODAY i I (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) i (Received April 12, 11.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 12. ; Dame Enid Lyons, widow of Mr J. A. i Lyons, and her three eldest children i flew to Melbourne from Sydney today. ' The children attended Requiem Mass lat St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was , thronged by 5000 persons. The Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr Daniel Mannix) was the celebrant. The Prime Minister (Sir Earle Page), some members of the Federal Cabinet, the Leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr J. Curtin) and a former GovernorGeneral, Sir Isaac Isaacs, were present. The burial of Mr Lyons will take place at Devonport (Tasmania) tomor"ow afternoon. Members of the Cabinet ,vho are at present in Melbourne will 1y to Devonport in the morning. Melbourne has rarely seen a ceremony of such moving solemnity as the Requiem Mass at St. Patrick’s. A panegyric was preached by the administrator of the cathedral, the Very Rev. Dr Lyons, who said: “Our Prime Minister was called to his reward bn the day the Divine Master carried his Cross and died on it. This great crowd gathered here to pay tribute offers its gratitude to one who will be remembered among the great ones of this young Australia.”

Thousands stood outside the cathedral in drizzling rain while Mass was proceeding. Dame Enid was not well enough to attend.