▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁M enz ies ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁res ign ▁as ▁prime ▁minister ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁Arthur ▁F ad den , ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ; ▁he ▁in ▁turn ▁surv ived ▁only ▁ 4 0 ▁days ▁before ▁losing ▁a ▁confidence ▁motion ▁and ▁making ▁way ▁for ▁a ▁Labor ▁government ▁under ▁John ▁Curt in . ▁F ad den ▁continued ▁on ▁as ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition , ▁with ▁Billy ▁Hugh es ▁replacing ▁M enz ies ▁as ▁U AP ▁leader . ▁Hugh es ▁res igned ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁election , ▁and ▁M enz ies ▁subsequently ▁returned ▁as ▁U AP ▁leader ▁and ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition . ▁The ▁U AP ▁ceased ▁to ▁exist ▁as ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁party ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁when ▁its ▁members ▁joined ▁the ▁new ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons ▁began ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party ▁politician ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁Premier ▁of ▁Tas mania . ▁Ly ons ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Australian ▁Federal ▁Parliament ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁James ▁Sc ull in ' s ▁Labor ▁Cab inet . ▁Ly ons ▁became ▁acting ▁Tre as urer ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁and ▁helped ▁negoti ate ▁the ▁government ' s ▁strateg ies ▁for ▁dealing ▁with ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁With ▁Sc ull in ▁tempor arily ▁absent ▁in ▁London , ▁Ly ons ▁and ▁acting ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁James ▁F ent