THE MORMON HUNT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12621, 2 October 1901, Page 3

THE MORMON HUNT.

TO THE EDITORS Sir, —Psimit me t.> correct one or two slat smew's made through, the columns of your paper v° Sept. 30 under the heading •-Another Mormon Hunit." The statement, 1 •' the old'srs dropped out of sight, but their absence was only temporary," would convey tho thought that our elder3\3rad left town- Now this is a wrong for -siTioa April 13 last two of our elders have been in the city all the time. ' Howi ever, they have not been doing street i preaching for some time past, because Inspector Ellison informed them personally, and conveyed the thought through the Press, that if 'they did they would not be given polic? protection. On my return irom DuxuJin to this -city in May, Elders j Wilson and Duncan reported the condition of affairs to me, and I advised them not j to hold open-air meetings till they iheard i fiom me, as I was then on my fray to j Auckland, and would ascertain by what authority vrz were denied police protection. With a view to get some satisfaction "o© the matter, I presented the question, to 'tJa Chief Commissioner of Police. Mr Tux>bridge, at Wellington, and also to out American Consul, Frank Dillingham, al Auckland, both of whom gave me the assurance that we were entitled to every recognition from the Government that was accorded to others engaged in a similar work, so long as we did not violats any law of tho country. Therefore, for the purpose of commencing operations again; I have been sent south to assist the eldest for a short time.

There seems to. be a little discrepancy between my statement to your representative and that of Inspector Ellison. I hac? no intention of misjudging him, and if ibis statement wa,s intended to give ine consolation and' hope of success in our'work I humbly apologise for being so incompre? hensive of his meaning. Neither can .we be too profuse in cur thanks and! gnatitu'diei toward 1 him and his staff for the services they rendered on Sunday evening last in our behalf, for we. feel sure had it mot. been for their good work the history of Christchurch would-have been marked with something more disgusting than mere barracking and. jeering from the larrikin element. I am only sorry that the police were unable to bring about .such, conditions as would put an effectual stop to .such unseemly conduct as ha=i been "indulged in by those whom you personify as an irresponsible element of the community. By ihe way, I would inform the many readers of your paper that our residence is not in Hyndman's Place, but on occasions when we have been threatened with, mob violence we have found a place of refuge there, among friends and Christians worthy the title in its fullest sense, though.they have no thought, so far as I know, of becoming identified with us as a church.—l am, etc.E. P. BROWN, • " Mormon Elder. Christchurch. Ssyt. 30, 1901.