“IRISHMAN’S LUCK”

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 82, 3 April 1934, Page 7

“IRISHMAN’S LUCK”

Woman Winner IN LAST ABT UNION TVHAT TO DO WITH THE MONEY • “Irishman’s luck!” Only two tickets in art unions, and one of them a first prize-winner! Such is the good fortune of Mrs Patrick Brophy, Pungarehu, who was recently identified as the winner of the £2OOO prize in the Golden Chance art union, drawn at Wellington. Mrs Brophy is the wife of a well-known coastal farmer and land-holder, the mother of nine children ,and she has “not the faintest idea in the world what she is going to do with the money.” • The winning of a £2OOO prize may be all very well, but Mrs Brophy, has a strong aversion to the publicity attendant upon such a performance. She has declined to be interviewed, but when a Taranaki “Herald” reporter called at the Brophy home he found her daughter more ready to answer a few questions. “So far as I know,” said Miss Brophy, “mother has taken only two tickets in art unions. This ticket was bought in New Plymouth from Miss G. Williams about a fortnight before the closing date. Mother took tho ticket under the name ‘Australia’ for no particular reason. No; she had no idea or expectation of ever visiting the country. ’ ’ Mrs Brophy, continued her daughter, had no idea what she would do with tho money. “Take a trip,” suggested the reporter. “Possibly. But I don’t think so,” replied Miss Brophy, non-committally. “Buy a new ear?” “We’ve not long got one.” “Buy some more lamd?” “I think we’ve got enough now:” The reporter could think of no more likely avenue of expenditure, so Miss Brophy suggested, ingenuously, that the money ‘will help to keep a family of nine during the winter.” Mrs Brophy was visiting New Plymouth recently, when she heard that “a New Plymouth man had won the art union.” On her return home Mrs Brophy was told by her daughter that the holder of the ticket had used the nom-de-plumo “Australia.” “Oh!” said Mrs Brophy. “I think that must be me.”

So Mr and Mrs Brophy returned to New Plymouth to lodge fhe £2OOO ticket in safe keeping and to make arrangements for tho remission of the

prize-money. This is the first large art union prize to have found it way to North Taranaki for some years, and Mrs Brophy’s success is a nine days’ wonder locally. Air and Mrs Brophy have been residents of Pungarehu for many years, where Mr Brophy is one of the largest suppliers to and chairman of directors of the Cape Egmont Dairy Company. He. is one of the largest landholders in the rich coastal farmlands district.