GRAVE CHARGE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 August 1924, Page 5

GRAVE CHARGE.

A WOMAN’S INJURIES. FALL OYER. CLIFF. HUSBAND IN THE DOCK. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 22. Tlie case in which John Edward Jeffreys is charged with attempting to murder his wife at Gientui on Sunday, July 27, came before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at Rangiora to-day, and lasted until a late hour to-night. Dr. Allen, Rangiora, detailed the injuries suffered by Mrs. Jeffreys, which consisted mainly of abrasions and a fracture of a bone of a left lorearm.

Florence Jeffreys, wife of the accused, said that on July 27, with her husband, two of her children, two Maoris, and Tom Jeffreys, she went to Gientui on a pig-shooting expedition. When walking with her husband on the top of a cliff she felt Ids arm go round her back ancl she went over the cliff. She was pushed over. She did not remember striking on the way down. . When her husband arrived she said : “Jack, you did this.” He replied: “My God, if you say that I’ll get six months.” Accused and the Maoris got her home. She accused her husband of trying to murder her, but did not lay an information against him. ; Detective Bickerdieke put in a statement amde by accused. It was to the effect that for the -past five years his wife had been pestering him with money and other domestic affairs. He had only been sleeping at home, having meals at his mother’s place. On the day in question he sent the other members of the party down a gully to hunt pigs, and after watching them for afew minutes he gave his wife a push and she slipped over the cliff. He realised iu an instant that he had done wrong, and immediately went to where hi.® wife was lying at ‘the foot of the cliffs. He summoned the others, and with their aid got her home. The occurrence was due to domestic trouble. When charged with tlie offence, the detective continued, accused said’: “I have told you the truth in the statement I have given you.” Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial. Bail was refused.