MORMONS AND POLYGAMY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1202, 10 August 1911, Page 4

MORMONS AND POLYGAMY.

REMARKS IN PARLIAMENT. ' Soon after Parliament opened yesterday Mr. G. M. Thomson (Duncdin North) asked tho Acting-Minister for Justice to eonfiider tho advisability of ridding tliis conntry of emissaries 02' the Mormon faith. Mr. Thomson alleged that tho Mormons were spreading immoral doctrines among the people of the Dominion, and that tho propaganda appeared to be spreading among members of the Maori race, lie also stated that numbers of women wcro constantly being enticed to Salt Lake City, where polygamy appeared to be freely. practised. The Minister stated that lie would look into the matter and ascertain the legal position and powers of New Zealand in this direction. He added that, as far as information was available, polygamy was not-being practised by cither race in Now Zealand. Mr. Thomson said the Ministers reply was perfectlv satisfactory. It was duo to some poople'among the Mormons that he should make an explanation. Ho had tint been aware when he asked the question that, there were two Mormon bodies. Tho Church of the Latter Day Saints at Utah, sanctioned polygamy. The other body, which might be the body working in New Zealand, called itself . the lioorgmiisod Church of Latter Day Saints, which did not countenance polygamy. Several members interjected that tho Mormons in New Zealand had come from In that case, said Mr. Thomson, they should not bo allowed to enter the country, for there was no doubt that the Church at Utah taught polygamy.