HON. L. M. ISITT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 30 July 1937, Page 2

HON. L. M. ISITT.

Although Hon. L. M. Isitt, whose death was reported yesterday, was 82 years of age, until a few months ago he had retained all this vigour. During his appearances in the Legislative Council last year he carried on his work with the keenness which always marked him out in Parliament Buildings as one ol the most active of politicians. He was born in England in 1855 and left there originally with the intention of securing experience of the Dominion. Once he had settled here he developed enthusiasm for Methodist Church work, which eventually l_ed to his joining the ministry in 1876. Mr Isitt was ordained in the ministry in 1881, and about the sanie time became interested in temperance work. With Mr T. E. Taylor, another notable temperance campaigner. Mr Isitt led the memorable Sydenham no-license campaign, their work resulting in the closing of all hotels in that area. Mr Isitt was chairman of the committee which secured that change in the system, but the decision was fought in the courts and taken to the Privy Council, where it was reversed. With the consent of the Methodist Conference. Mr Isitt resigned from the ministry to devote all his time to the work for which he became so noted all over the country, the advocacy of temperance reform. First lie toured the Dominion demanding a local option measure, and it was to a great extent due to his interest and hard campaigning that local option was granted. This work earned Mr Isitt a reputation abroad, and he was invited bv the United Kingdom Alliance to visit Great Britain and lecture there. During his term in Parliament Mr Isitt fought with all his former activity the battles which then raged over temnerance reform. When interest in that issue waned he fought the Issue of the Bible-in-schools movement and it was greatly due to his interest that, even to the present time, the introduction of the Bible-in-Schools issue has remained very much alive. Mr Tsitt leaves his widow (he married Miss Agnes Caverhill in 1881). a son. Wing Commander L. M. Isitt, and a daughter, Mrs C. J. Thornton. A second son, Mr W. W. Isitt, was killed in the- Great AVar. There are five grandchildren.