An Early Closing Incident.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 231, 27 August 1884, Page 2

An Early Closing Incident.

A vigilance committee from the Early Closing Association, accompanied by •numerous sympathisers, on Saturday evening waited on> the drapers whose shops were found open after 9 o'clock, the prescribed hour of closing. .No iSftiouSi difficulty was met with until Courtenay Place was reached, when the proprietor of an establishment m that locality on vaiious pretexts postponed the closing of his shop! The Early Closing Association waited with patience, endeavoring, to reason the obstructionist out of his resolution. Between 10 and 11 several idlers of,larr.ik,in tendency joined the crowd/ and an egg from ;one of them unfortunately struck! a lady on the cheek as she was entering thVshbp. T^The jenragedhus'' band, who was evidently a foreigner,, 1 challenged anyone : iv the crowd to' mortal combat for -the insult- offered to his wife. A well-known member of the Young MenVChiistian : Association stepped forward to explain matters, when the aggrieved- husbahd, thinking he had accepted the challenge, squared- up at him. ••. Finding his opponent declined -the .honour of an appeal to arms, he- started Ofi fora policeman, "and endeavoi'ed to have the young fellow taken m charge. The upper windows of the-houses m the locality were occupied by.spectators, who, as well as xhe crowd below, -watched the progress, .of events with interest and amusement. ... °