MR ISITT'S POSITION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 252, 27 November 1914, Page 6

MR ISITT'S POSITION.

invading - the Kaiapoi electorate to oppose Mr ..David Jones in the > of Mr Buddo, Mr L. M. Isitt ' has taken 'k step'which will give the Trade mtire : encouragement than ! it will the prohibition' party, many of whom.feel that his untoward action is only by.;th e, rather lain e -explanation submitted by him in justification of his having opposed' the bare majority candidate. I have no actual knowledge of the terms in which the Tecbiinnendations 6:f/ the New Zealand Alliance were'f ramed, but I cannot conceive of any terms which icould possibly be construed into a"'. suggestion ~ thpt when the choice of a bare majority candidate was offered, a candidate offering less advantageous conditions was to be** preferred. Mr Isitt was a speaker at a ; prohibition meeting held in the King's Theatre some months after Mr t E. Taylor's death (I cannot more accurately- fix- the date), the -"Bev. R. S. Gray, Mr J. McCombs, and".tic late;Mr G. B. Nicholls also taking part in tho' proceedings;' >EachJand all of the speakers expressed themselves unequivocally as in favour of the bare'majority, while many of the 1 audience signed.a-memorial setting forth that their, votes would be givenat election-time to the candidates who offered the best .jterms to,the partv, Mr McCombs-(I believe. it'was he) putting it thus: "If we can't get the bare majority we will take the biggest reduction -w&e&n^et.^TJiefcefWas no suggestion that under -any circumstances a 55 was'to' be supported • when a bare majority man was the other choice; in fact, such a suggestion would hav;e been treated with amused contempt and by none more so than by Mr Isitt himself!'; To "'what, then, " must we attribute his /preference for the -55* per 4 'cent.' candidate in Kaia.electoratelau 1 attempting to furnish an answer, plain words are most 'Elected" tb Parliament as an Independent, largely by the temperance vote, his cloals of .Independence, has but ■thinly- veiled -the rabid. -Ward'ite below*, and his animosity towards the Reform Party has led him to take a ; step that will cause much glee and gratification to the Trade, while temperance workers all over the Doniinloii will realise now ■-'■ the full extent of the loss their causo sustained, in the death of Mi- T. E. Taylor. Of Mr ( Isitt's proffered explanation of his action itc'att only bersaid .that it is an insult to any. intelligent, reasoning person, and entirely unworthy of the man** By the process of the samo argument, Prohibitionists . in .-(ShirwtV' church' will" be perfectly jusliifiedjai voting for Mr. Toogood; am] it swillsJsiirprise no one to find many doingfso aiiil quoting-Mr'lsitt in >3tificatibh Of their' action. Mr Isitt. as a Prohibition leader commanded respect, but his effectiveness as. % temperance has suffered since he attained Parliamentary rank, and his latest exploit; iti Kaiapoi will .most raise the question of'his rigiii to retain the position he at.present holds- in the temperance movement. He has inflicted a, grievous hurt on the 'cause • with which' lie has so long been.; identified,, but.," the greatest injury of all has been done to his own The-cause " ; will: recover from the hurt it has suffered long be- - f ore' the blot he : has placed on hils<own tenvperajice, escutcheon will be r emoWl. Leaders may unfaithful prove, onwam still our eause must move.—l am, etc., SCOTLAND. Nov;; 26, 1914,