LEGISLATOR'S DEATH.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20258, 29 July 1937, Page 8

LEGISLATOR'S DEATH.

HON. L. M. ISITT, M.L.O. GREAT TEMPERANCE WORKER. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS ADVOCATE. (By Taiwan* —Pro«« Association » CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. The death has occurred of the Hon. Leonard Monk Isitt, M.L.C., aged 82. The late Mr Isitt was widely known for his temperance work and later for his championing of the cause of Bible in schools in Parliament. He was born in Bedford, England, and left for New Zealand as a young man to obtain experience and to establish a branch of a wholesale s ft goods warehouse. He entered the ministry of the Methodist Church in 1876 and was ordained in 1881. He became Interested in temperance work and with Mr T. E. Taylor led the Sydenham no-ltcense campaign that resulted in an elected committee, of which he was chairman, closing all the hotels. However, the Privy Council reversed the decision. With the consent of the Methodist Conference he resigned his ministerial charge and toured New Zealand demanding the local option measure, which Mr R. J. Seddon, then Prime Minister granted. He made four lecture trips to Britain on the prohibition Issue.

In 1911 Mr Isitt was elected a memhef of Parliament for Christchurch North and held the seat continuously until his retirement In 1925. when he was appointed to the Legislative Council. He was head of T... M. Isitt. Limited, booksellers and stationers Rnd had served on the Canterbury College Board of Governors. In 19<22 Mr Isitt was vice-president of the Methodist Centenary Conference. He established the prohibition paper which later became ‘‘The Vanguard.”