MORMON MARRIAGES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1738, 1 May 1913, Page 8

MORMON MARRIAGES.

GIRLS FROM VICTORIA. JPOLICE '* DEPART MEAT'S INQUIRY;A ease, in which a young woman residing in Melbourne is declared (o have been persuaded by a. Mormon elder to leavo Victoria for Salt Lake City on a promise of marriage, lias been brought under the notico of the Chief Secretary (states tho Melbourne "Age" of April 23). Recently a. communication, from a resident of Port Melbourne reached «:ho Chief Commissioner of Police, to the effect that a girl, aged 21 years, in company with two girls from East Melbourne, was going away with "those wretched people, tho. Mormons." Detective Mulfahey investigated tho case, and his report, which deals only with the one girl, has been forwarded by Mr. Sainsbury to Mr. Murray. Tho officer reports that the writer of tho letter repeated to liim that the girl was being taken away by tho Mormons, and that tho sister at .Port Melbourne) could give him all tho information, He then saw tho sister, who told him that tho girl intended to go to America with the Mormons at the tad of the month. Her father and mother were dead, and slio had been brought up by her sister, who was strongly opposed to her going away. Ivext ho saw tho girl, who claimed to ho 21 years of age, and was engaged in domestic service at Albert Park. She said that sho had embraced tho Mormon faith five years before, and had attended their meetings over since. About two years ago an elder from the Mormons at Salt Lake City was out here on missionary work, and sho became engaged to him. When ho was leaving, he told her that he would send for her. when sho becamo of age, and would make her his wife. Sho had been in communication with him ever since, and ho had now arranged that sho should go to America to marry him. Sho was tn accompany another Mormon and his wife, who wero returning to Salt Lake City.

The position of tho Victorian Government in such a case, and the possibility of prevention—if necpssary—of gvils from beinp induced by the Mormons to leave Victoria for America, are under the consideration of Ministers and the police officials. .