LEAVING FOR ZION CITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 78

LEAVING FOR ZION CITY.

AUCKLAND, April 21.

By the Sierra to-day 10 Dowieites' left for Zion City in charge of T. J. Thompson, of Wellington. Others intend to go by the following boat, all froni "Wellington. Mr Thompson says the reason for going is that Zion is a prosperous, clean, holy, ideal city where a man may get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. The Zionists had purchased in Mexico a million acres for a new Zionists' city.

(Fbom Ottb Own Cobresposde>"t.)

AUCKLAND, April 22. In view of the fact th«t no fewer than 80 of the New Zealand followers of John Alexander Dowie, or, as they call themselves, " Members of the Christian Catholic Apostolio Church of Zion," will have left the oolony in three months time, a Herald reporter secured an interview yesterday with one of the members of the first contingent (consisting of 19) which left for Zion City by the Sierra last fc evening. This was Mr T. J. Thompson, o£ Wellington, who explained that the rest of the party, his wife, and three children, the two Misses Jones, Miss Halpin, Mrs M'Gregor, and Miss Clapham, were also of Wellington. "Is it a fact, then, you have sold up all your property in Wellington with the intention of starting afresh in Zion?" asked the reporter.

"Yes, it is." came the reply. "We are all going to Zion for good." "But what do you propose to do there? How do you propose to live?"

"As for myself, being- a printer by trade. I hope to get work there. As for the others, there are the Misses Jones, who will devote themselves to musio teaching ; while the rest will endeavour to get employment at fche various manufacturing establishments." "Is there work for everyone?*' " Yes."

" Then there is no foundation for the statement which I heard on the mail boat just now than the people there were starving?" said the reporter.

"Absolutely none. To prove that I need only quote from a letter which I have just received from Mr J. N. Murrell. late of Wellington, and now of Zion. He says that during the whole of the season there he has not &een a poorly-dressed child, nor any suffering. Suffering there, he says, is not allowed to go tmallcviated." "What is the population of Zion now?" "About 12,000 and I might say here that Mr Murrell says that things are likely to boom there shortly, as the first apostle and the leading business men of the city are in ' Mexico taking up a large tract of fertile country of 1,000,000 acres, which, with a. 50 mile frontage to the Gulf of Mexico, is watered by several rivers. The intention is to divide the country up and to establish arother Zion City. Presidents Roosevelt and Diaz (the latter of Mexico), says Mr Murrell, are our friends."

" The first "apostle, then, is establishing Ziou Cities elsewhere; how about Australia?"

_ " Well, when he was there they treated him so badly that for the prese-nt he had to give up the idea of establishing such a city, here." " " I understand that there are more of your people goin? by the following boats?" " Ye*, about 30 in all." "All from Wellington?" " Yes."

" But what is your object in leaving tho colony at all?"

" Because," replied Mr Thompson, " there, the rule of God is set up in every department in life. There you ' will find no saloons, no tobacco, no theatres, no places o£ ill^fame, no swine's flesh, no poisonous drugs — in fact, & pure and clean city. If a man commits any of these '"sina he is rejected altogether ; we^ have no room for him in Zion. There we can bring up our children. Then, again, the city is run on Christian co-operative principles, so that every man is paid what he is worth, in addition to a share in the profits."

" What do you inteitd to do with your capital?"

" I will invest it in the industries there, where we get guaranteed interest at the rate of from 9 to 12 per cent, better than anywhere else in the world. There are some people who think that everything we have goes to Bowie ; but they are mistaken. As- a matter of fact we have full control over our capital, and get more out of him than he does oxtt of us."

Mr D. Rogers, who has been mining in fche vicinity of Martin's Bay for some months past, recently came across a large greenstone bouldeir weighing about half a ton. Mr Rogers broke several pieces off and had some of them polished in Dunedin". The result (says the Wakatipu Mail) was satisfactory, the stone beiug very clear, but before Mr Rogers goes any further he intends bo send a larger piece down later on. when the jewellers will be better able to assess the yzlve af the 2recn?tone.