ism ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁milit ant ▁Japan ▁in ▁Asia . ▁The ▁U AP ▁largely ▁supported ▁the ▁western ▁powers ▁in ▁their ▁policy ▁of ▁appe as ement , ▁however ▁veter an ▁U AP ▁minister ▁Billy ▁Hugh es ▁was ▁an ▁exception ▁and ▁he ▁embar rass ed ▁the ▁government ▁with ▁his ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁book ▁Australia ▁and ▁the ▁War ▁Today ▁which ▁exposed ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁prepar ation ▁in ▁Australia ▁for ▁what ▁Hugh es ▁correctly ▁supposed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁coming ▁war . ▁ ▁Hugh es ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁res ign , ▁but ▁the ▁Ly ons ▁government ▁triple d ▁its ▁defence ▁budget . ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁storm ▁clouds ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁gather ing ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Australia ▁to ▁die ▁in ▁office . ▁D riv ing ▁from ▁Can ber ra ▁to ▁Sydney , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Tas mania ▁for ▁E aster , ▁he ▁suffered ▁a ▁heart ▁attack , ▁dying ▁soon ▁after ▁in ▁hospital ▁in ▁Sydney , ▁on ▁Good ▁Friday . ▁The ▁U AP ' s ▁Deput y ▁leader , ▁Robert ▁M enz ies , ▁had ▁res igned ▁in ▁March , ▁cit ing ▁the ▁coal ition ' s ▁failure ▁to ▁implement ▁a ▁plan ▁for ▁national ▁ins urance . ▁In ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁a ▁U AP ▁deput y , ▁the ▁Governor - General , ▁Lord ▁G ow rie , ▁appointed ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ▁Sir ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁as ▁his ▁temporary ▁replacement , ▁pending