DICTATORS’ WIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 8

DICTATORS’ WIVES.

HITLER-MUSSOLINI. COURTROOM VIGNETTE. ARE THEY SAME AT HOME? Dictators generally had some aspersions cast upon them this morning by counsel in the Police Court, who suggested that a certain husband was first like one and then like another wellknown dictator. However, lie was able to produce neither precedent nor case in history to prove his point when the magistrate queried the relationships of the two European leaders.

Air. Aekins was addressing the magistrate, Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, in defence of a client who was charged with obscene language and who was accused by the police of having gone to an Auckland home for one night and stayed for three months! ' “This is a house divided against itself,” said Mr. Ackins. The wife and daughter do not want my client to go because the husband adopts a Mussolini attitude to the wife—die is a regular bully and wants to rule the whole house—

Mi*. Orr Walker: I have never heard before that Mussolini bullies his wife—

“Well, judging by the photograplus one sees of Mrs. Mussolini she looks as though she is under his thumb,” said Mr. Aekins. “Anyhow he is a sort of Hitler then—”

Mr. Orr Walker: Hitler has no wife, Mr. Ackins. (Laughter). Mr. Aekins: However he adopts a Hitler attitude to his wife.

Sub-Inspector Fox: I have not seen the gentleman in question. He is here in Court. Let’s have a look at him. There advanced to the front of the Court an elderly man, rather stooped and not at all assertive looking.

“So this is Mr. Mussolini!” said the sub-inspector.. The Court laughed.