On the Watch.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2901, 17 February 1893, Page 3

On the Watch.

The: residents at l.yttehon were shocked in more ways than one on Sunday morning. From an early hour a large number of gentlemen wHo have hitherto been considered of unimpeachable respectability and whose seats afc church are very seldom vacant weie to besieri in twos and threes standing near the public-house doors and back entrances. From the manner in which they keptsn eye on anyone approaching, and the expression of their countenances as the doors were from tune to time opened to admit *' ledgers " and "travellers," a stranger might live imagined that they were watching their opportunity to slip in and have a drink on the quiet. However, they never f»eeuud to screw their courage up to that point, and remained on duty throughout the day, relieving each other at intovals. In the evening matters assumed asi ill graver aspect. Some of the churches were half empiy, while a number of their most prominent members And oupporters were to bo founl where they had been all day - still standing round their favourite hotels. The public became interested. Numbers of people took pity on the apparently demented churchgoers, and tried to gain admittance to the hotels, possibly with the. intention of bringing them refreshments ; but the publicans were obdurate, and refused to allow drink to be sdd on their premises on" Sunday, even in such an emergency. Further inquiry elicited the information that these gentlemen were the members of the local Prohibition League, who had formed themselves into a vigilance committee for checking Sunday drinking,— and this was their first Sunday on duty. —"Lyttelton Times."