Alderman L. J. O`HaraPrint Page

The Monument over the grave, erected by the residents of Paddington, commemorates Alderman L.J. O`Hara who died from influenza in 1919. Alderman O`Hara was the newly elected member for Paddington in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly but died before he could take his seat. He was an alderman on the Paddington Council. 

A large number of people gathered around the grave of the late Alderman L. J. O'Hara, M.L.A., at Waverley Cemetery, yesterday afternoon, when the Premier (Mr. John Storey) unveiled a monument which has been erected by residents of Paddington to the memory of their late Parliamentary representative, who died on June 14, 1919, during the influenza epidemic. Mr. J. E. Birt, M.L.A., presided. The Premier said it was indeed hard luck that a young man, who had worked so fearlessly and with such enthusiasm as the late Alderman O'Hara had done, should have been carried off so suddenly, just as he had reached the height of his ambition by becomlng a member of Parliament.

Mr. Storey recounted several conversations, which he had had with the late Mr. O'Hara during his election campaign. "What I tried to place before young O'Hara." he said, "was that compromise was the only road to success. We don't always get what we want, and we won't get what we want by being so determined as to believe that the other fellow has no view at all, and that, if he has, it is not of very much value."  When the late Alderman O'Hara became a candidate tor Paddington he showed what was in him, and revealed himself as a fearless, straight, and honest young Australian. Mr. J. P. Osborne, who was Mr. O`Hara`s predecessor in Parliament, Mr. W. F. Dunn (Minister for Agriculture), Alderman Green (Mayor of Paddington), Alderman Bates (president of the Paddington Labour League), Mr. R. E. O'Halloran, M.L.A., Alderman Purcell (ex-Mayor of Paddington), T. J. Smith, (ex-MLA),  Alderman M. Burke, M.L.A., Mr Stapleton (secretary of the Paddington Labour League), Mr. P. J. Brookfield, M.L.A.. and Messrs. T. Keegan and W. Martin delivered addresses. Mr. Edward O'Neill returned "thanks on behalf of the relatives of the late Alderman O'Hara.
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), 15 November 1920.

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