Three Years

NZ Truth, Issue 1145, 10 November 1927, Page 5

Three Years

"I LOOK upon the matter as extremely serious and were it not for the fact that the jury has recommended you .to mercy on account of your age, I would have inflicted a much heavier sentence than I propose doing," declared Judge Reed to Thomas John Davies, insurance agent, of Tauranga, m the 'Auckland Supreme Court. Found guilty of serious offences against members of a troop of Tauranga Boy Scouts, of which he was scoutmaster, his honor sentenced Davies to serve three years' hard labor. Lawyer Mackey, who appeared for Davies, stated that his client was 59 years of age and had been an inspector of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children. In stressing the serious view he took of the case, his honor said: "The institution with which you were connected, the Boy Scouts, is probably one of the finest that has ever been, founded, the main idea of which is to inculcate morality and good citizenship m all members. "To secure this the authorities are obliged to invite persons of mature age to take charge of these boys, as it were, to' teach them m these directions. "You have held that appointment and instead of teaching the boys, you have just gone the other way and attempted to teach them very serious matters that might affect the whole of their lives."