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Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 274, 18 November 1936, Page 5

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FATHER Of NINE CHILDREN. 4 } DISTRESSING DOMESTIC CASE. A distressing domestic case was dealt with by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court this morning when Victor Onslow Jeffries, a ' labourer, aged 41, j was charged with using obscene language in Cobden Street and mischief by wilfully damaging a police tunic to the extent of 10/, the property of the New j Zealand Government. Constable McKinney said he was summoned to accused's house in Cobden Street last evening and he went there with_ Constable Finch. They found Jeffries sitting on a bed. He was under the influence of liquor. There was a quantity of broken glass and food strewn about the floor of the kitchen. Jeffries' nine children were in the house, all being very upset. "I warned him about his use of obscene language to his wife in the presence of the children," said Constable McKinney. "We then left, but had not gone far before we were called back to the house again. Jeffries was still using disgusting and obscene language and we attempted to quieten him, but he continued and so I told him he was under arrest. He then became so violent that he had to be handcuffed. In the struggle I was pushed against a fence and my tunic was damaged."

The constable said he had Jieen called to the same house on a number of occasions because of Jeffries' drinking habits and his abuse of his wife. Jeffries was on sustenance. His wife drew £2 of the money and he drew 17/, most of which was spent by him on liquor. Mrs. Jeffries told witness that when he did not touch liquor he was a good husband. Jeffries told the magistrate he was willing to take out a prohibition order and allow his wife to draw the whole of his sustenance payments. "Jeffries is an absolute waster," said Sub-Inspector Fox. "He does 110 work and is a loafer, spending the sustenance he personally draws on liquor and then goes home and knocks his wife about." Jeffries, on one charge, was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. "That will get the liquor out of you," Mr. ' Hunt told him. He was also prohibited, the magistrate directing that his wife should draw all his sustenance.