MR ISITT YND THE MAYOR OF MAYOR OF BALCLUTHA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2372, 17 August 1899, Page 34

MR ISITT YND THE MAYOR OF MAYOR OF BALCLUTHA.

I A LIVELY MEETING. I The Rev. L. M. Isitt addressed a crowded , meeting at Balclutha on Monday evening. The j Rev. Mr Elliott presided, and the Revs. Kili patrick and Currie occupied seats on the platform. The lecturer (says the Free Press) was in splendid form, but his address was considerably marred, and was, besides, unduly prolonged by the constant interruptions to which he was subjected. At one stage the interrupI tions of one individual,- apparently under the influence of drink, became so bad that Mr Isitt i vrafl compelled to stop and intimate j that he could no longer proceed in | the face of such unseemly diaturb- \ ance. A gentleman volunteered to go for the police, and in the interval the person ! creating the disturbance was named, and asked I to leave. This he refused to do, and Messrs Elliott and Currie successively appealed to those in the audience to put the man out. This was eventually done, and Mr Isitt was enabled to proceed without much further interruption. Ho concluded a stirring address amidst applause. At this stage Mr Geo. Thomson, Mayor of Balclutha, was seen making his way to the front, amidst a perfect din from those in the back part of the hall. Mr Thomson went on to the stage and offered his hand to Mr Isitt, but that gentleman refused^ to take it. Mr Thomson then sat down alongside of Mr Kilpatrick, and spoke to hjm for a few seconds. Mr "Kilpatrick appealed for a hearing, and said that he had just been informed, by Mr Thomson that some person had gone from the hall and told him (Mr Thomson) that Mr Isitt had, during his address, referred to him in a bad way. lie would put it to them, Had Mr Isitt done so?— (To this there was an emphatic -No.") Mr Thorn 'on said that he was very much displeased that Mr Isitt had refused to shake hands with him. He (Mr Thomson) had never corducted himself in a way that any minister oi the Gospel should refuse to shake hands with him. He had been told that Mr Isitt had reflected on him — (Cries of " Name ") — ancl he had come there to vindicate himself. He had never said anything behind Mr Isitt's back he was afraid to say before his face, and he hoped Mr Isitt would shake hands with him before he left the hall. . ilr Elliott said it would only be justice if Mr Thomson would disclose the name of the person he said ha/l gone from the hall to tell him that Mr Isitt was making stutenients concerning him. — (Loud uproar, and chorus of "No " and " Yes.") Mr Sandihnds, amid considerable interruption, proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Isitt Mi C. R. Smith (Stirling) seconded the motion, tmd in the course of his remarks said he felt &ure prohibition would be cairied in Bruce at next poll. The vote of thanks was declared carried amidst applause from one section of the audience, and hooting from the other. Mr Kilpatrick said they had had two things tLat night to show them the unscrupulous I tactics of the Liquor party. One was that a man ! — he did not think it was a woman — (Mr Thomson: No)— should go from that hall and tell a deliberate lie. The speaker then referred to tho principal interrupter by name as his other instance. 'Such conduct was, he contended, caloulp.ted to make many vote for piohibition. Mr Isitt, in returning thanks, said he refused to shake hands with the Mayor of Balclutha because he (Mr Isitt) believed in being sincere. I He could not respect a, man who had spoken ©f j his minister (Mr Elliott) as Mr Thomson had ! done, and defended sly-gr*g sellers. If, howI over, Mr Thomson would devote some of the energy he had lately spent in the cause of the Liquor party in the opposite direction, he (Mr ] Isitt) -\\oviia be happy to make friends with j him. j Before leaving the stage Mr Thomson shook I hands with Mr Isitt. | Mr Elliott then declared the meeting J closed.