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Brilliant Career In Politics ASUDDEN DEATH OF MR. LEO DOYLEnd Law Ended
LEO DOYLE, M.H.A., one of
the mast prominent men in the
public life nf Tasmania, died sud-
denly at Hobart on Saturday, at the
age of 38 years. He became ill dur-
ing thc morning, collapsed in the af-
ternoon, and died at his home about
7.30 p.m. The Premier (Mr. Cos-
grove), the Leader of the Opposition
(Mr. Baker), and the Archbishop of
Hobart (the Most Rev. Dr. Simonds)
were among those who paid tribute to
his service in many spheres.
Mr. Doyle, who was born at Hobart in
1902, entered Parliament at his first at-
tempt in 1937, lt is believed that he se-
cured the highest number of primary votes
for a candidate in Franklin in a first es-
say in politics. He was considered one
of the outstanding members of the House
of Assembly. A man of unbounded en-
ergy and enthusiasm, he was thorough in
any work he undertook. As president of
the State Council of the United Australia
and Nationalist Organisation, he led the
party campaign with outstanding success
at the recent Federal Election.
Mr. Doyle was the first pupil of St.
Virgil's College, and he won a State
scholarship at the age of 11. He passed
the Junior Public Examination in 1914,
and in the following year gained junior
and senior bursaries and a University ex-
hibition. Two years later he passed the
Senior Public and qualified for matricula-
tion. About the same time he gained first
place among Tasmanian candidates in the
Commonwealth Public Service Examina-
tion.
Leaving school, he was articled to the
late Mr. Horace Walch, of the legal firm
of Simmons, Wolfhagen. Simmons, and
Walch. At the University he obtained
high distinctions in most subjects, and in
the third and fourth years shared the J.
B. Walker conveyancing prizes. In his
final law examination he gained first place
in Tasmania, and was admitted to thc
Bar by the then Chief Justice (Sir Herbert
Nicholls), having just reached the age of
21 years. Shortly afterwards he entered
the legal office of Page, Hodgman. and
Seager, and about two years later be-
came a partner in the firm which is known
now as Page, Hodgman, Seager, and
Doyle.
For some years he was a lecturer in law
at the University of Tasmania, and fol-
lowing the retirement of the late Prof.
McDougall was Acting Dean of the Fac-
ulty of Law, pending the appointment of
Prof. Shatwell. He resigned his posi-
tion at the University upon entering the
political sphere. He was a member of
the Royal Hobart Golf Club, of which he
was captain on two occasions, and was a
member of the Tasmanian Club. He was
a member of the independent investiga-
tion committees of the Tasmanian Foot-
ball League and the Public Schools' Old
Boys' Association, and one of the original
members and a past presidant of the Apex
Club.
MR. LEO DOYLE Who died on Saturday. Help
MR. LEO DOYLE
Who died on Saturday.
Mr. Doyle was a prominent layman of
the Roman Catholic Church. He was
president of the Holy Name Society, a
past president of the Newman Society, a
member of the St. Vincent de Paul So-
ciety, and president of thc Old Virgillans'
Association.
The son of Mrs. and the late Mr. W. H.
Doyle, of Hobart, Mr. Doyle leaves a wife
and three young children. His sisters
are Miss Leila Doyle and Mrs. E. W. Bar-
wick of Hobart.
A Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass will
be celebrated at St. Mary's Cathedral at
10 a.m. tomorrow, after which the burial
will take place at Cornelian Bay Ceme-
tery. The remains will be received at
the cathedral at 4 p.m. today, and a watch
will be kept by members of the St. Vin-
cent de Paul Society.
"The news of Mr. Doyle's death, occur-
ring as it did with tragic suddenness, came
as a most unpleasant shock," said the Pre-
mier (Mr. Cosgrove), who is in Melbourne.
"I have conveyed my heartfelt sympathy
to his wife and to members of his family.
Although we differed in the political field,
I had long since formed a high opinion
of his ability, and he was already assured
of a successful career in Parliament and
in his profession. His early death is a
loss not only to the party to which he be-
longed but to the public life of the State.
On behalf of the Government I join with
many other leaders of the community who
will sincerely deplore his untimely pass-
ing."
"The death of Mr. Doyle comes as a
severe loss in the several spheres in which
he has served the community." said the
Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Baker)
"Entering politics at an unusually early
age, he soon made his mark in the House
of Assembly, and his political associates
recognised his abilities by electing him
president of the United Australia and Na-
tionalist Organisation.
"A leading career in the life of the State,
both as a lawyer and politician, seemed
before him. Those of us who have been
in close touch with him will especially
deplore his untimely death. The people
generally have lost one who had given
every promise of a life of great usefulness.
As leader of the Nationalist Party I will
miss him more than I can express. His
untiring energy and ready help were of
inestimable value in every branch of
political work."
"Mr. Doyle's kindly and courteous man-
ner had endeared him to the hearts of
those fortunate to have his acquaintance,
while his keenness in debate, coupled with
the ordered thoroughness with which he
presented his case, raised him to an emin-
ence within his party," said the Chief
Secretary (Mr. Brooker). "He was look-
ed upon as a man destined to play a big
part in the political realm of the Com-
monwealth, and his passing leaves a gap
among the younger men."
"I am profoundly shocked and grieved
at the unexpected death of my friend, Mr.
Leo Doyle." said the Archbishop of Ho-
bart (the Most Rev. Dr. J. D. Simonds).
"The passing of such a brilliant young
man will be a grievous blow to the public
life of Tasmania. He has been taken
from us just as his young life seemed full
of promise and as his professional and
public career was moving towards its
zenith. I shall allow others to assess the
value of the services which he rendered
to the State.
"It is my duty to pay a warm tribute
to the sterling services which he ren-
dered to the Church of his baptism. The
dominating influence of his whole life
was his unswerving loyalty to his religion,
which he practised with regular and sin-
cere devotion and whose interests he
promoted with generosity and unselfish
sacrifice. He was an active member of
all the lay societies of the Church, and
occupied a position of leadership in most
of them. For many years he had been
the legal adviser to the trustees of thc
Catholic Church, and the help which I re-
ceived from him in the many difficult and
complex problems concerning the tempor-
alities of the diocese leaves me deeply in
his debt. His brilliant intellectual gifts
and sound legal knowledge were always
at my disposal in every problem that
arose, and I never found his judgment
wrong or his advice misleading.
"It was, therefore, with a poignant sense
of personal loss that I watched this good
and brilliant young man draw his last
breath, for I knew that I was witnessing
the passing of a devoted and loyal son of
the Church and a trusted legal adviser
and valued friend. My sincerest sym-
pathy goes out to his family."
The successor to Mr. Doyle in the
House of Assembly will be Mr. B. J.
Pearsall, Mr. V. W. Shoobridge, or Mr.
J. P. Piggott, with Mr. Pearsall the most
likely.
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