All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Bong ' burglar' was in fact Otago University proctor Dave Scott

By Elena McPhee
Otago Daily Times·
24 Sep, 2018 05:50 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

University of Otago proctor Dave Scott.
University of Otago proctor Dave Scott.

University of Otago proctor Dave Scott.

More students have complained University of Otago proctor Dave Scott entered their flats and took water pipes and bongs in what Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) has labelled as "outrageous" behaviour.

Student magazine Critic Te Arohi reported that about three weeks ago, proctor was visiting flats on Castle St and Leith St North to deliver letters about initiations.

"The entire flat was away, apart from one person who was asleep upstairs.

"The flatmates said the proctor let himself in through the unlocked back door, where he found several water pipes sitting out on a table and took them," the magazine said.

"Because they weren't home, the flatmates didn't know what had happened to the pipes and assumed they had been robbed. They estimated the pipes were worth $400."

All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The proctor returned the next day, and told them that he had gone into their flat and confiscated the pipes.

According to the flatmates, he told them that as long as they cleaned up the flat, he would let them off with a warning and wouldn't take it to the police, Critic reported.

OUSA recreation officer Josh Smythe told the Otago Daily Times he had been contacted by the flat who complained to the Critic and students from three other flats, saying the proctor had taken bongs after entering the flats via the back door to deliver letters warning about the dangers of initiations.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In the other instances flat members were home at the time he visited, but Mr Smythe said it was "pretty outrageous" Mr Scott felt he could simply wander in, leaving the students concerned feeling very intimidated.

On one occasion the "bong" was simply a Powerade bottle on the flat's living room table.

He had arranged to meet Mr Scott about the situation tomorrow, but Mr Scott had since cancelled the meeting.

A protest was being held at 1pm on Friday.

Discover more

New Zealand|education

Uni concedes it has no right to confiscate student flat bongs

24 Sep 06:24 PM
New Zealand

Proctor urged to resign after taking bongs from flats

24 Sep 10:29 PM
New Zealand|education

Prosecution threat over uni boss seizing bongs from student flat

24 Sep 11:47 PM
New Zealand

Standoff in wake of proctor's bong move

27 Sep 03:45 AM

He would be meeting Mr Scott tomorrow about the situation and said some students at the university had been considering having a protest.

OUSA president Caitlin Barlow-Groome earlier told RNZ entering flats without permission was unacceptable and the university had overstepped the line.

Miss Barlow-Groome said she wanted an explanation as to why Mr Scott entered the flat.

Critic reported a university spokeswoman saying the proctor was "comfortable with the action taken".

"The proctor spoke to the male occupants in the flat and made them aware of the action that was taken, with the flat occupants acknowledging the equipment had been used to smoke cannabis. The bongs all contained cannabis residue and have been disposed of."

The action comes after hundreds of copies of the Critic's "Menstruation issue" - featuring a naked person menstruating on the cover - were taken by Campus Watch overnight earlier this year, hitting headlines nationally and internationally.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The university later said taking the magazines was a mistake made by someone working in the proctor's office.

The proctor is not a police officer, and it appears the university's code of conduct does not give the proctor the ability to enter private homes without permission.

Abe Gray, cannabis activist and owner of the Whakamana Cannabis Museum, told the Otago Daily Times he understood correct police procedure would be to send the bongs for forensic testing and establish they had been used for cannabis before prosecuting their owners.

Comment has been sought from police.

The Whakamana Cannabis Museum has offered to sponsor brand new water pipes for the flat.

In a statement released at 5.45pm this evening, a University of Otago spokeswoman said much of the proctor's focus was on working informally with students to help them meet the University's behavioural expectations, and to help them avoid disciplinary processes or the attention of the criminal law.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Recently, while visiting a flat (which he was doing to provide a reminder about risks associated with initiation ceremonies) he saw, in plain sight, through an open sliding door, a number of water bongs of the kind typically used for illegal drug use. He judged that the occupants of the flat would rather deal with him informally over the matter than have the police search the flat so he decided to step through the door and uplift the items. He subsequently notified the flatmates what he had done, and resolved matters with them in a way that the University is confident was to their advantage. That included the paraphernalia (which the flatmates acknowledged had been used for consuming illegal drugs) being disposed of. Its value was less than $100.

"The proctor is often called on to make judgements as to how to manage difficult situations and in doing that he gives careful thought to the interests of students involved. Neither he nor the University claim a right to search private premises and what was done here was unusual and unlikely to be repeated. However, the proctor will always try to resolve matters with low-level intervention. As he says: "I am focussed on helping students gain degrees and not criminal convictions".

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Home detention for husband who helped public servant wife defraud Oranga Tamariki of $2m

19 Jun 12:44 AM
New Zealand

Man dies after hit-and-run; police release new images of suspect

19 Jun 12:37 AM
New Zealand

Coldest morning of the year hits Hawke's Bay, just in time for Matariki

19 Jun 12:19 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Coldest morning of the year hits Hawke's Bay, just in time for Matariki
Hawkes Bay Today

Coldest morning of the year hits Hawke's Bay, just in time for Matariki

19 Jun 12:19 AM
'Sobering' downturn: Bay of Islands cruise bookings nearly halve
Northern Advocate

'Sobering' downturn: Bay of Islands cruise bookings nearly halve

19 Jun 12:16 AM
'Crunch time': Urgent warnings from scientists on climate trajectory
World

'Crunch time': Urgent warnings from scientists on climate trajectory

19 Jun 12:10 AM
Film director killed, diamond Rolex feared motive in stabbing
Entertainment

Film director killed, diamond Rolex feared motive in stabbing

18 Jun 11:49 PM
New flight route to turn Auckland into China-South America gateway
Travel news

New flight route to turn Auckland into China-South America gateway

18 Jun 11:36 PM

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Audrey Young: Cooks crisis complicates Luxon's big meeting with President Xi

Audrey Young: Cooks crisis complicates Luxon's big meeting with President Xi

19 Jun 12:49 AM

OPINION: The timing of Winston Peters' announcement is curious.

Home detention for husband who helped public servant wife defraud Oranga Tamariki of $2m

Home detention for husband who helped public servant wife defraud Oranga Tamariki of $2m

19 Jun 12:44 AM
Man dies after hit-and-run; police release new images of suspect

Man dies after hit-and-run; police release new images of suspect

19 Jun 12:37 AM
Coldest morning of the year hits Hawke's Bay, just in time for Matariki

Coldest morning of the year hits Hawke's Bay, just in time for Matariki

19 Jun 12:19 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search