RECTOR OF STIFFKEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21314, 15 October 1932, Page 11

RECTOR OF STIFFKEY

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL CHARGES OF IMMORALITY LONDON*, Oct. 13 The appeal of the Rev. H. F. Davidson, rector of Stiffkey, against the decision of the Consistory Court of Norwich, finding him guilty of immoral conduct, was dismissed to-day by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. This consisted of three bishops and assessors. The appeal was made on points of law. MR. DAVIDSON ON SHOW CHASED BY A CROWD The vigil of the rector of Stiffkey, Mr. Harold Davidson, in a barrel, as a sideshow on the promenade at Blackpool, England, came to a sudden and unexpected end on September 7. He and the proprietor of the booth, Mr. Luke Gannon, were served with summonses to appear at the local Police Court. Mr. Gannon was charged with causing a crowd to assemble and thus creating an obstruction on the footpath. Tho rector was summoned for aiding and abetting. The usual queue of sightseers was filing past the barrel in which the rector was seated, reading a book, when a policeinspector walked through the turnstiles and asked that the top of tho barrel should be removed. This was done. Mr. Davidson stood up to accept the summons, watched by a crowd. He then left tho barrel arid retired to his rooms. Mr. Davidson had to run before a crowd of holiday-makers the following night and take refuge behind a locked and barred door. Ho was "exhibited" by Mr. Gannon in a building near where he had previously sat in the barrel. Thousands of people collected and made the roadway impassable. People wer« admitted through one door and passed out of another two yards away. Tho rector spoke to each person who entered, and within a few minutes there was such a press against the door that the police had to intervene. Meanwhile tho rector, his manager, and Mr. Gannon made a hurried retreat toward his lodging, pursued by a goodhumoured crowd. Before they could overtake him Mr. Davidson was indoors. Lively passages were exchanged between Mr. Davidson and witnesses at the Police Court, when the case concerning tho barrel was heard. The summonses were withdrawn on Mr. Gannon undertaking to break his contract with Mr. Davidson, who would cease to go into tho barrel. Mr. Davidson, at the beginning of tho case, explainer! that when he went to Blackpool ho did not know tho conditions which he would appear, owing to a "hdaxer." The lie v. Harold Francis Davidson, rector of Stiffkey and Morston, on August 10 was inhibited from holding church services in the diocese of Norwich. Tho Order was signed by the Bishop of Norwich and took effect in 14 days, lasting until the pronouncement, of the sentence of the Consistory Court in the proceedings against Mr. Davidson under the Clergy Discipline Act. Copies of the inhibition were posted to Mr. Davidson and to tho churchwardens at Stiffkey and Morston, and other copies were affixed to the doors of the churches in those parishes by the registrar of the Norwich Consistory Court. The order set out at great length in legal phraseology that Mr. Davidson had been found guilty of certain immoral acts, immoral conduct, and immoral habits; that the chancellor had adjourned the Consistory Court for the passing of sentence, and had made certain recommendations to the bishop concerning such sentence; that the bishop had not 'bought fit, to pass sentenco so long as any appeal should bo pending; that the rector had presented a petition for leave to appeal to the Privy Council against the judgment in respect of some matter or matters of law, and that the appeal could not in the ordinary course be heard before October 12. The order added that, whereas, from the nature of the offences charged against Mr. Davidson, it appeared to the bishop that great scandal was likely to arise from his continuing to perform the services of the Church while any such charge was under investigation, and that his ministration would bo useless while any such charge was pending, tho bishop inhibited him " from performing any services of the Church within our said diocese of Norwich from and after the expiration of 14 days from tho service of this notice, and until sentence shall have been given in the »aid cause."