TEN DAYS IN BARREL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21281, 7 September 1932, Page 9

TEN DAYS IN BARREL

RECTOR OF STIFFKEY

EXTRAORDINARY CONTRACT RAISING FUND FOR DEFENCE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright' (Received September 0, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 6 Ten thousand people yesterday paid twopence each for a peep at the Rev. H. F. Davidson, rector of Stiffkey, as he sat in a , sealed barrel at an open-air exhibition at Blackpool, says the News Chronicle. A local girl, Barbara Cockayne, was attempting to complete a 10 days' fast in an adjoining barrel. "I am riot going to fast," said Mr. Davidson. "I need £IOOO for niv defence fund. I must raise the money somehow. My feelings rebel against this, but I am going through with it."

Mr. Davidson ha s a contract for a big sum to sit in the barrel for 10 days. He enters it each morning and stays in it until late in the evening, only leaving it for luncheon and tea intervals.

Mr. F. K. North, Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich, at a sitting of the Norwich Consistory Court at the Church House, Westminster, on July 8, gave his findings on the charges brought against the Rev. Harold' Francis Davidson under the Clergy Discipline Act, 1892. Ho found Mr. Davidson guilty on five counts, and said he would notify the Bishop with the sentences which should be pronounced in respect of each offence. In regard to the cases which were dropped, he said Mr. Davidson was entitled to a formal acquittal. The counts on which Mr. Davidson was found guilty of immoral conductwere (1) that from September, 1921, until November, 1931, he had had improper relations with Rose Ellis on many occasions; (2) that he annoyed and made improper suggestions to a young girl, "D.B."—a waitress in a Lyons tea shop; (3) that he embraced a, young woman in a public room at tho Yeng Wah Chinese Restaurant (the Chancellor said it was now known that this young woman, was Barbara Harris); (4) as to the charge that he. habitually associated with women of loose, character for immoral purposes, the Chancellor found Mr. Davidson guilty in respect of Barbara and Miss Taylor, and the other cases were dropped; (5) that he had consistently molested and importuned with ' immoral intent three young women waitresses and another young woman called Nellie Churchill. The Chancellor, in the course of his findings, said: "Mr. Davidsen has given evidence denying his guilt. I watched him anxiously in the witness-box for something like four days. I do not believe him. His evidence in chief was a tissue of falsehoods, and, as Mr. Oliver (counsel for the Bishop of Norwich)_ has demonstrated, reckless and even deliberate falsehoods. He went down an absolutely discredited witness on whoso oath no.reliailce can bo placed." Referring to the evidence of Gwendoline Harris, or Barbara, as she was known. Mr. North said: "Of course, if Barbara is not speaking the truth, there is an end of the matter; but so there is if Barbara is not corroborated. T have come to a definite conclusion. I believe Barbara. Is she corroborated ? In my judgment she is." > Mr. Levy, for Mr. Davidson, reserved the right to appeal. ■«.•••