DEATH OF HON. T.J. RYAN

New Zealand Tablet, 4 August 1921, Page 22

DEATH OF HON. T.J. RYAN

A cable message under date August 1 announces the death of the Hon. T. J. Pyan, formerly Premier of Queensland, and Deputy-Leader of the Federal Opposition, who died as the result of a sudden attack of pneumonia, while ( assisting in the Maranoa by-election campaign. A Sydney message says Widespread regret is expressed by all political parties v.i all the States at Mr. Ryan’s death. He is referred to as the strong man of the Labor Party. He will be given a State funeral at Brisbane. The Hon. Thomas Joseph Ryan was born at Port Fairy, Victoria, on July 1, 1876. He graduated B.A. at Melbourne University in 1897, LL.B. in 1899, and was admitted to the Queensland Bar in 1900. Niue years later he was elected Labor member for Barcoo in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, and in 1913 he became Leader of the Opposition. The advent of the Queensland Labor Party to power in 1915 naturally gave Mr. Ryan the chance of forming a Ministry, which he did on June 1. He became Prime Minister, Chief Secretary, and Attorney-General, with the Hon. E. G. Theodore as Treasurer and Minister of Public Works. His much-criticised Ministry, which was “Labor” to a degree, continued till October 16, 1919, when Mr. Ryan resigned his seat in Parliament preparatory to contesting a Federal constituency. He was succeeded as Premier by the Hon. E. G. Theodore. At the general election in December, 1919, after a strenuous and somewhat bitter campaign against the leadership of Mr. Hughes, Mr. Ryan was returned by a large majority as member for West Sydney in the Federal House of Representatives. Owing to the illness of Mr. F. G. Tudor, nominal head of the Labor Party in the House, Air. Ryan had for some time past been the virtual leader of the party, and an unsparing critic and opponent of Mr. Hughes. Mr, Ryan, who was married in 1910, leaves a widow and one son and one daughter. 1