We investigate sulphur abundance in 74 Galactic stars by using high resolution spectra obtained at ESO VLT and NTT telescopes .
For the first time the abundances are derived , where possible , from three optical multiplets : Mult .
1 , 6 , and 8 .
By combining our own measurements with data in the literature we assemble a sample of 253 stars in the metallicity range -3.2 \la [ Fe / H ] \la + 0.5 .
Two important features , which could hardly be detected in smaller samples , are obvious from this large sample : 1 ) a sizeable scatter in [ S/Fe ] ratios around [ Fe/H ] \sim - 1 ; 2 ) at low metallicities we observe stars with [ S/Fe ] \sim 0.4 , as well as stars with higher [ S/Fe ] ratios .
The latter do not seem to be kinematically different from the former ones .
Whether the latter finding stems from a distinct population of metal-poor stars or simply from an increased scatter in sulphur abundances remains an open question .