OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 260, 30 July 1937, Page 12

OBITUARY

Hon. L. M. Isitt, M.L.C. NOTABLE TEMPERANCE CAMPAIGNER The death to-day of the Hon. Leonard Monk Isitt, M.L.C., has removed from Dominion polities a notable and picturesque figure, a Dominion Special Service message from Christchurch states.

For many years a champion of prohibition and the Bible-in-schools movement, Mr. Isitt played an outstanding part in certain phases of the political development of the Dominion. His keen compaigning for those two major issues made him one of the best-known figures of his day ami, although in recent years the political battles he fought were carried on without the former clamour of the days of the nolieence and prohibition agitation, until his death his name conjured up memories of many a notable campaign. Mr. Isitt was 82 years of age, but, until a few months ago, he retained all his vigour. During his appearances in tiie Legislative Council last year he carried on bis work with the keenness which always marked him out in Parliament Buildings as one of 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 Alethodist Church work, which eventually led to his joining the ministry in 1576. He thus started an association which he maintained in some form or other until his death. Air. Isitt was ordained in the ministry in 1881, and about the same time became interested in temperance work. AA’ith Air. T. E. Taylor, another notable temperance campaigner, Mr. Isitt led the memorable Sydenham no-llcence 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.

AA’ith the consent of the Alethodist Conference, Air. Isitt resigned from the Alinistry to devote all his time to the work for which he became so noted all over the country, the advocacy of temperance reform. First he 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 Air. Isitt a reputation abroad, and he was invited by the United Kingdom Alliance to visit Great Britain and lecture there. This he did, making no fewer than fourtrips Home for the purpose. In fact, Air. Isitt lectured on prohibition virtually as a whole-time job for 12 years, anil, incidentally, lectured so much that it was often said that his lectures ruined a remarkably fine singing voice to the extent that Air. Isitt had to give up singing altogether. In 1911 Air. T. E. Taylor, his fellow campaigner, died and Air. Isitt then contested the Christchurch North seat, which Air. Taylor had held. He was elected and retained that seat during a period of, intense political activity and party feeling until his retirement in 1925, when he was made a member of the Legislative . Council. During his term in Parliament Mr. Isitt. fought with all his former activity the battles which then raged over temperance reform. AVhen interest iu 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. AVhile engaged in his campaigning Air. Isitt founded the firm of L. M. Isitt and Company, booksellers anti stationers, which be conducted as managing director until the firm went out of existence a few years ago after a serious fire. His other activities included membership of the Canterbury College board of governors, the vicepresidency of the Alethodist Centenary Conference in 1922 and association with a prohibition journal which, during the Sydenham campaign for reform, attained a circulation of 25,000. Later that paper became tiie "Vanguard.” Air. Isitt was also prominent in the boy scout movement. He was also all his life a keen lover of cricket, in his earlier days playing the game and, when he could not play, following the sport ass’duously. Air. Isitt leaves his widow (be married Miss Agnes Caverhill in 1881), a son, AA’ing Commander L. M. Isitt, and a daughter, Mrs. C. J. Thornton. A second son, Mr. AV. AV. Isitt, was killed In tiie Great AVar. There are five grandchildren. Mrs. W. T. Oakley The death occurred at Feikling on Tuesday of Airs. AV. T. Oakley, in her 68th year, states a "Dominion” Special Service message. A daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rutherford, Airs. Oakley was born at New Plymouth, and came to Feikling with her parents when she was a child. For a time her father managed the property of the late Mr. F. Lethbridge, but later he took up farming on his own account. For many years she was associated with the Feikling Croquet Club, and on rhe formation of the Oroua Bowling and Croquet Club she became an enthusiastic member. Mr. W. Billet Brown Mr. William Binet Brown, headmaster of the Johnsonville School, who had been promoted to take charge of the Britomart Street School after the mid-winter holidays, died yesterday at the age of 48 years. Air. Brown enjoyed his usual health up till Monday last, on which day he paid a. visit to the Wellington Education Board's offices. He was taken ill that afternoon and died yesterday. Mr. Brown joined the service of the Wellington Education Board as a pupilteacher at Island Bay in 1906. He next served as an assistant teacher at AVor-

ser Bay, and afterward at the Newtown, Te Aro and Clyde Quay Schools, in all of which institutions he made his impress as a sound teacher of firm and upright character. He was promoted to be headmaster at Roseneath in 1926, and five years ago was transferred to similar duties at Johnsonville. During his sojourn there he had resided in Lawrence Street. Mr. Brown was a good bass-baritone singer and, being devoted to singing, he was verykeen on teaching those under him some of the elementary principles of music and singing. He rendered good service as a member of the AA’ellington Male Voice Choir, both as chorister and soloist, and was also at one time a member of the Trinity Alethodist Choir, AVellington South. Mr. Brown leaves a widow and two children, botli boys, one of whom attends AA’ellington College. Mr. C. E. TAvist The death,occurred suddenly at his residence, Taradale, yesterday morning of Mr. Charles E. Twist, a wellknown settler and sportsman, at the age of 66, says a “Dominion” Special Service message. Air. Twist apparently had been in excellent health. He was attending to correspondence on AVednesday night and it is presumed that he collapsed when rising from bis bed yesterday morning. Air. Twist was born at Oriental Bay, AVellington. and was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. Twist. His grandmother was one of the first residents of Oriental Bay. He came to the Hawke’s Bay district more than 53 years ago. In 1901 he married Miss Christina Macdonald, Oriental Bay. Mr. Twist was for many years a buyer for the North British and Hawke’s Bay Freezing Company and later was senior buyer for Borthwick’s at Pakipaki, a position he held for 25 years. .Air. Twist was a keen sportsman and racehorse owner who liked to breed and train his own horses. In recent years he raced Prosy Bov, Dozie, Lucnllus Lad and .Callus. He was a member of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, AVaipukurau Jockey Club, the Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club, of which his wife ami daughter were strong supporters and followers, and past president of the Napier Park Racing Club. He was also for many years an active member ot the executive of the Hawke’s Bav A. and P. Association. lie leaves a widow and one daughter. Miss Grace Twist. Mr. W. J. Holdsworth The death is announced of Mr AV J. Holdsworth, aged 65, after a ‘long Illness, an Auckland Pr s,< Assod -- -I. message reports. He was managing director of Messrs. AV. J. Holdswo. Ltd., warehousemen, and bird been chairman of the Auckland Power Board since 1922. He was a Rotarian, a local preacher for the Methodist Chureh Auckland president of the British-Israel Association, headquarters commissioner ot the Boy Scouts’ Association, Auckland, a member of the Local Government Loans Board, and president of the New Zealand Land Settlement League. A tribute to Air. Holdsworth’s worktor tli£ boy scout movement was paid by Mr. Hector Christie, Dominion Chief t oinmissioner. a .AVanganui Press Assoe’ation message states. "Mr. Holdsworth played a very important part in the counsels of scouting in New Zealand when times were difficult.” said Mr. Christie. "He has rendered dis-x tinguished service as Auckland Metro-’ politan Commissioner for the past nine years and h’s death is a severe blow to the movement in this country. Do-minion-wide improvements must be laid to his credit and the additional piotige with which the movement is now viewed by the business commun’tv may be clearly attributed to him. His deep sense of humour and readv smile were appreciated by all. while his bus’ness ability enabled the movement to \yeather the depression without curtailing its essential services.”