STRANGE CASE ENDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 931, 29 November 1933, Page 4

STRANGE CASE ENDS.

Troublesome Maintenance Application. (Special to th© " Star.”) AUCKLAND, November 28. The Hope case, one of the most famous maintenance cases in the Dominion, which has many times been before the courts since March, 1921, was to-day finally disposed of by Mr W. R. M’Kean, S.M., who, by a coincidence, was the first of a number of magistrates who have since dealt with this strange case. Three magistrates believed that John William Hope was the man named in a maintenance order in respect of a woman said to be his wife who resided in England. Hope ever since 1924 has strenuously denied that he was the man sought for. The Magistrate remarked, after perusing the file, that he was .satisfied that Mrs Hope now dead, and he cancelled the maintenance order and arrears. A summons for disobedience was also dismissed. “ This is the end for the time being of a troublesome matter,” said the Magistrate, with a smile Hope again reiterated he was not the man concerned, but the Magistrate told him he did not agree with him and that in any case it did not make any difference now.