Hope Wishes He’d Never Seen N.Z.

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 164, 1 October 1927, Page 1

Hope Wishes He’d Never Seen N.Z.

MAN WITH A DOUBLE? STRANGE MAINTENANCE CASE ENDS Hope case was concluded at the Police Court yesterday afternoon, and the Magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., reserved his decision. John William Hope, whose case has been heard on two other days this week, denied that he is the husband of a woman in whose favour a maintenance order was made at Sheffield, England. Mr. S. L. Patterson, who appeared for the Crown, had Hope under examination for over two hours on Wednesday. Witness said that the John William Hope, the double whom he had met at Manchester, told him that he had a wife at Sheffield. When asked who he was living with in 1921, Hope mentioned that there was a cousin living in the same house, and his name was also John William Hope. The magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt: What, another one? Hope gave his address as 103 Walkend Road, Worsley, England. Mr. Patterson: Were you served with maintenance papers at that address. Hope: No. Mr. Patterson: I have the papers, and the constable has made an affidavit that he served you at that address. Hope: He did not. This closed the cross-examination. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., said that he would like to get the evidence clearer,, so he began an examination of Hope himself. “What was your father’s name?” he asked. “John Hope,” replied the witness. He then said that his father and mother died while he was a child, and he was brought up by an aunt and uncle. “What was your uncle’s name?” asked the magistrate. “John Hope.” “Was he your father’s brother?” “Yes,” replied Hope. “So your grandfather had two sons named John.” “Just across the road from us,” replied Hope, “was another John "William Hope.” “Oh, splendid,” said Mr. Hunt. “That’s another John William Hope. We had three before, and now we have four.” AN UNHAPPY EXILE Hope, who was getting agitated, suddenly burst out: I wish to God I’d never seen this country. Hunt: I’m not sure that this country would not have been as glad if it had never seen you, but that’s by the way. • Hope’s solicitor, Mr. J. J. Sullivan, asked that the recorded evidence be altered so that Hope’s ship could be torpedoed in the North Atlantic instead of the North Sea, and also that the name of the ship be changed. The magistrate said he would make a marginal note of these alterations. Edith Alice Hope, wife of defendant gave evidence on his behalf. She gave details of their courtship, and said that Hope had seen her every day for two years before their marriage, so that it would have been impossible for him to have gone to Sheffield. The magistrate then reserved his decision.