CHURCHMEN HOT IN CHASE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 39, 9 May 1927, Page 1

CHURCHMEN HOT IN CHASE

VERGER AND SACRISTAN OF ST. PAUL’S PURSUE PROWLER IN DARK

A burglar hunt, not entirely devoid of humour, was enacted last evennig in the vicinity of St. Paul’s Church while evensong was in progress, the chief actors in the serio-comedy being the verger and the sacristan of the church and a supposed thief who was found in a portion of the church grounds not frequented by bona fide worshippers. During the service the verger, who was present in his official capacity, heard his dog barking in the hall below, and in view of the robbery on the previous Sunday, he became suspicious. Motioning to the sacristan, he sallied forth to make inquiries, closely followed by the other, who, on the way down to the hall, armed himself with a piece of timber. Noticing that the hall door had been tampered with, the young men proceeded to investigate, but no sign of an intruder could be found in the building. While the search was in progress, the voice of the watch-dog, which had lapsed into silence, sounded loudly again outside.

Accordingly the verger and the sacristan crept round the chancel end of the building and there perceived a man moving through the long grass and evidently making for the shadow of the church.

Immediately the intruder caught sight of the investigators, who were robed in their gowns of office, he bolted off in the direction of Blandforcf Park with the church officers in hot pursuit. A formidable hedge barred his course, but he dived into the obstruction with the verger at his heels. At this phase of the hunt the flowing robes of the churchman got entangled among the foliage, and, by the time he disengaged himself his quarry had gained some distance, and soon disappeared in the gloom of a plantation. FolloA>jing the sound of crashing among the trees the verger searched for some time, but without result.

There was nothing further to be done but to return to the service, empty-handed and with nothing to show for the chase but a comfortless hole in the official robe.