Obituaries Australia

Great regret will be felt in journalistic circles in Sydney and other Australian cities at the sudden death last night of Mr. Thomas Beasley, who has been on the staff of "The Sun" since its foundation two years ago.

Mr. Beasley, who was at work all last week, was apparently in good health, though he had complained a little of pains about the heart. Last night, at about half-past 5 o'clock, he left his home in Mount-street, Coogee, to come into Sydney to "The Sun" office. Soon after entering the tram at Mount-street he collapsed. A St John Ambulance was called, but Mr. Beasley was found to be dead.

Under the name of "Solomon Gay," as well as under his own name, Mr. Beasley enjoyed a high reputation as a writer of verse, topical and otherwise. His rhymes were well known in West Australian newspapers before he began work on "The Sun" in Sydney. During the past two years his verses have appeared regularly in the "Moving Picture Show" column of this newspaper.

He was for many years associated with the socialistic wing of the Labor party, both in this State and in Western Australia, and on one occasion contested one of the Sydney metropolitan electorates for the State Parliament as a selected Labor candidate.

The late Mr. Beasley was 46 years of age. He was born at Sheffield, England, and had been in Australia 26 years. He left a widow and one son and one daughter. His son is employed as a reporter by the "Daily Telegraph." The funeral will leave the late residence of the deceased, "Eastview," Mount-street, Coogee, at 3.15 to-morrow for the Long Bay Cemetery.

The Attorney-General (Mr. Holman) paid a tribute to-day to the late Mr. Beasley: "He was one of the early figures in the Labor movement, and was a prominent worker at St. Peters," he said. "He developed a latent vein for journalism late in life. He and I were fellow members of the central executive of the Labor League in the early days with Mr. Beeby and Mr. W. M. Hughes. Mr. Beasley had great patience, and good nature. He will be mourned sincerely by many who remember the early days."