USE FOR A STEP-FATHER

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1925, Page 3

USE FOR A STEP-FATHER

AN IRISHMAN’S lIUSE. WELLINGTON, January 9. William Patrick O’Connor was an Irishman, and with the readiness of a soil of the Emerald Isle turned to good use the mime of his step-father when occasion called. ■‘lt is very useful to have a name to Fall hack on,” observed Air C. R. Orr-Walker, S.AL. who occupied the bench at- the Police Court yesterday when O’Connor was called jm summons for being in the Britannia Hotel after hours oil Christmas Eve, and with giving a false name and addrcr.s to the police officer who discovered him. ‘‘Sometimes I take my step-lather s name of O’Brien and sometimes my father's name of O'Connor,” explained accused, declaring that he was quite truthful when paving his statement. “Ts my stepfather’s name a false one?” he asked the court in general “But 1 take it that ’O’Brien’ must he a false name.” objected Suh-Tnspee_ tor Hollis; ‘‘the man cannot have two names.”

O’Connor said that although no one on this side of the Tasman knew him as O’Brien, he was well-known under that nomen in Australia. Remarking that when a man was found on licensed premises after hours lie should he a sport and take the eonsequences. the magistrate settled the contention by fining the defendant £1 and costs for being on the premises, and added another C2 and costs for resorting to the name of O’Brien and thus implicating another branch of the family.