DENIAL OF IDENTITY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18363, 22 April 1925, Page 11

DENIAL OF IDENTITY.

DEFENCE IN MAINTENANCE CASE. (fuss association mjcasxn.) AUCKLAND, April 21. The case against John William Hope, apjed 33, for defaulting to the extent of £53 15s in respect of an order for the maintenance of his wife in England -was continued at the Magistrate's Court to-day. The dofence was a denial of identity. The maintenance officer said accused was sentenced to.six months' imprisonment.last year, for breach of an order obtained against, one John William Hope in England m 15K1. w „^ Mr Sullivan, for accused, sajd Hope had been allegedly identified by a photograph from England. - Tlie Magistrate (Mr Ponton) said it was too late to raise that question now. A year ago he was sentenced, and He -was then satisfied he was the man mentioned in the order. Accused entered the witness-box and said he was married at Bolton Registry Office in July, 1933, for New Zealand the next month. He had not jeen married before. • Two months aftc, their arrival his wife received a letter from a sister in which a previous-mar-riage «w hinted at. A cablegram was sent denving there had been a marriage in 1916. He aswaned the name nf lane after his discharge from Mt. Eden because of the difficulty in obtaining employment. He had always been aware of his likeness to the other Magistrate: Ton ask the Court ■to believe vou two men of the same name and similar appearance and age worked at the same place as electrical wiremen, also-that your fathers followed an identical occupation. The coincidence is too remarkable. Edith Alice Hope, wife of accord, said she did not know .the man in the English photograph with the strange photographers--giro evidence that they were of the opinion that arcused was not the man. TheT Magistrate said there was so much pubfic interest in the case tha* he would give a written judgment.