MURDER CHARGE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27404, 17 July 1954, Page 8

MURDER CHARGE

Two Girls To Stand Trial

WOMAN’S DEATH IN CHRISTCHURCH

Showing no sign of emotion, Pauline Yvonne Parker, aged 16, and Juliet Marion Hulme, aged 15 years and nine months, left the dock in the Magistrate’s Court at 5.25 p.m. yesterday after Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., had committed them to the Supreme Court for trial on a joint charge of murdering Honora Mary Parker at Christchurch on June 22.

No plea was taken from the two accused before they were committed for trial.

The case for the prosecution began at 10 a.m. and 17 witnesses were called, including Mrs Hulme, mother of the younger accused. About 100 persons, mostly women, occupied all the seating accommodation in the Courtroom immediately the doors were opened, many of them having waited for some time in the rain.

Each accused girl was seated on a chair in a separate small dock in the middle of the Courtroom, the docks being pushed close together. After they were charged, counsel asked permission for them to be seated. While they were waiting for chairs to be brought, they leaned on the edges of the docks, facing the public and smiling and chatting. During the hearing they frequently smiled and whispered to each other.

The Crown Prosecutor (Mr A. W. Brown), with whom was Mr P. T. Mahon, conducted the prosecution. Mr T. A. Gresson and Mr B. McClelland appeared for Juliet Huhne. Dr. A. L. Haslam and Mr J. A. Wicks appeared for Pauline Parker. An inquest into the death of Honora Parker was held in conjunction with the hearing of the case for the prosecution. “The verdict on the death will be withheld meantime and the inquest is further adjourned sine die,” said the Magistrate as Coroner. Counsel objected to the admission of some photographs. The Magistrate held they were admissible at this stage, but directed that the objections by counsel be noted.

Constable William McDonald 1 Ramage, police photographer, said that about 7 p.m. on June 22 he went to Victoria Park and took photographs, ; The following day he was present at a post mortem examination and took ) photographs of the body of Honora Parker. He also took photographs of I Victoria Park in daylight. Constable Ramage was asked by Mr j Brown to produce a folder of photographs. Dr. Haslam objected to the admis-1 sion of photographs relating to the injuries of the dead woman and to her body. He said that, though the ; photographs were technically admissible, the Court was empowered to, reject such evidence where its, prejudicial effect would far outweigh I its probity value. There was ample I other evidence to show how the woman was killed, where she was killed, and her injuries. Mr Gresson said he associated himself with these submissions. The Court had a discretion to exclude photographs whose probity value was slight and. as in this case, their prejudicial effect tremendous. Counsel submitted that it would prejudice the accused if the photographs were admitted as evidence. The Magistrate asked that the photographs be shown to him. t Mr Brown said that som. of the photographs showed the grav e injuries to the woman’s head but, he submitted, the photographs were relevant as showing how the injuries were inflicted on the unfortunate woman. The objections could be -.noted, but the photographs should not be excluded at this juncture. The photographs had not been shown to anyone and would not be shown to anyone. It was not known who the jury would be in later proceedings ana the photographs would be shown to the jury in the Supreme Court if the judge so ruled. The Magistrate: Am I to understand that these photographs are produced tn rebut any suggestion that the injuries were accidental? Mr Brown: Oh. Yes, sir. “Well, the photographs will be admitted and the objections by counsel will be noted.” said the Magistrate. Constable Ramage then produced the photographs of Victoria Park and its environments, and gave details of the surroundings. He also produced photographs of the body, one showing where it was found in Victoria Park. One of these photographs included a lisle stocking and a half brick. Other photographs were of the body of Honora Parker and showed her injuries. He received from Senior-Detective Brown a diary, and he photographed seven pages. He produced these and a typed transcription of the pages. Mr Gresson submitted that the diary was admissible as evidence against Parker but not against Hulme. j His objection was noted. Morris John Barnett, superintendent! of reserves in Christchurch, said Vic-1 toria Park was under the control of the Christchurch City Council. He! produced a plan of the plantation on) the eastern slope of the hill below) the tearooms. A mark showed where! the body of Honora Parker was found That was 420 yards along the track! from the tearooms. Visit to Tearooms Agnes Ritchie, a married woman.; said her husband was caretaker of Victoria Park, and she was proprietress of the tearooms there. Several customers visited the tearooms on Tues day, June 22. She remembered «• woman and two young girls who came in about 2.35 p.m. or 2.40 p.m. The two accused were the girls. The woman ordered afternoon tea. One of the girls asked for a flat soft drink. One chose orange and the other chose lemon. Witness carried on a general conversation with all three, but par-j ticularly with the woman. Thev: were a quiet group, but appeared per-; fectly at ease and quite normal. Site! did not see them leave the tearooms. She went into the tearooms soon after; 3 p.m. and found they had gone Almost half an hour after that she; saw the two accused again, said wit-; ness. She was serving someone with' ice creams when the two accused rushed to the bottom of the steps | They were very agitated, breathless end gasping. They were both speaking together, and it was difficult to make out what they were saying. “As near as I can remember thf first thing said was: ‘Please can somebody help us? Mummy has been hurt.’’’ the witness said. The gi»-’; Parker said: ‘lt is mummy. She’s been terribly hurt. I think she.’s. dead.’ The girl Hulme said: ‘lt’s her! mother. She’s hurt. She’s covered with blood. Can somebody help?’ J think something was said at that stage that the woman had slinped, but I’nj not certain. “The girl Hulme was almost hysterical: the girl Parker was quieter and very white. They both had blood on their clothes, but particularly on th’hands. The girl Parker had b d splashed on her face. - ’ said witness. Mis Ritchie said she could not re- 1

member which girl was wearing which of the coats produced, but they were wearing coats similar to those shown her.

1 She sent for her husband, said Mrs I Ritchie, and she tried to find out from j the girls where it had happened, but (they were both upset. There was a ; dangerous spot in the direction to ) which they pointed, and she went over ■to see if she could see anythin J, but ! she could not. The accused said it had (happened in the bushes down the (track. She went back to the girls and : questioned them, and they said: ‘‘Don’t make us go down there again.” She said: “Never mind. You needn’t go back.”

Her husband arrived, told her to j send for the ambulance, and went idown the track. Mrs Ritchie said the (blood on the girls and their clothes worried her a good deal. The accused wanted to wash the blood off straight away. She got hot water for them and both accused washed. Both wanted to. go home, but particularly Hulme. Both accused asked her to telephone their fathers. Witness tried to telephone Mr Rieper, but the line was engaged. She then telephoned Dr. Hulme. She made a cup of tea for the accused. It was arranged that Dr. Hulme would come for the accused. She sat with the accused while thev drank their tea.

t “I asked then, how it happened and the girl Huhne said ‘Oh, don’t talk about it/ ” witness continued. The girl Parker said they had been down the track and were returning when somehow her mother slipped on a plank. She said her mother hit her head on a brick and her head kept bumping and banging as she fell. The girl Hulme kept saying, *Don’t talk about it. I’ll always remember hearing her head banging/ Both girls remarked that it seemed like a dream and they would wake up soon, and odd remarks like that. "The girl Parker remarked during the conversation: ‘Mummy, mummy. She’s dead/ ” said Mrs Ritchie. “I said she might not be so badly hurt, and the girl Parker just looked at me. They said that after she fell they tried to pick her up and carry her, but she was too heavy, and they dropped her. The girl Parker said: ‘Perhaps we didn’t do the right thing. Perhaps we shouldn’t have tried to'carry her.’ “They both remarked several times that they wanted to go home. The girl Hulme said several times ‘Will my daddy be long? I wish he would hurry.’ “The girl Parker was quiet and calm, and I thought she appeared to be dazed. The girl Hulr- ? was still almost hysterical, and appeared to be holding herself back. /‘Dr. Hulme arrived and took the girls away in his car,” said Mrs Ritchie. “The police arrived shortly after that. About 4 p.m. I telephoned Mr Rieper and he telephoned me about 4.30 p.m. I told him what I knew, and he arrived at Victoria Park later.” Discovery of Body • Kenneth Nelson Ritchie, husband of i the preceding witness, said he and a Mr Mcllroy went down to where the (body was found. He had asked the I accused where the accident hapipened, but they could not tell him i then, for they seemed confused. The ( clothing of the girl Hulme was (covered in blood. One hand of the girl Parker was smothered in blood and her face was spattered with blood. (He again asked the girl Parker where the accident happened after he had taken her through the stone wall at the plantation. She pointed vaguely down the plantation. He had asked them what had happened and they said the mother had slipped and hit her head on a rock.

Ritchie said he and Mcllroy went about a quarter of a mile down the track and found the body of the woman. She was dead and was on (her back and her feet were pointing up hill. “Her head was pretty well knocked about. There was blood all over the place and there was blood on the path. I saw the brick and the stocking which are shown in one of the photographs. I went back to the i tearooms and telephoned the police. The ambulance arrived as I got to the top of the path. “The two accused seemed still agitated,” said Ritchie. “I asked them to come into the sitting room and they did. The girl Hulme said: T wish daddy would some.’ The ambulance driver and the police went down the track. Dr. Hulme arrived, left his address with an ambulance driver, and took the accused away in • his car.”

The path was just clay where the body was found and there were no outcrops of rock, said Richie. There I were no rocks anywhere near the body. At week-ends the paths were used a lot by the public, but not during the w-eek. On a week day the spot where the body was found was a secluded one.

Eric Gordon Mcllroy, a labourer employed by the Christchurch City Council, gave similar evidence to that by Ritchie. The woman Parker was dead when they found her. She had severe head injuries. He stayed by i the body wSiile Ritchie went back to

the tearooms to telephone the police, he said. Harold Ernest Keys, a driver for the St. John Ambulance Association, said a call was received from Victoria Park about 3.30 p.m. that a woman had fallen over a bank. He was detailed to go to Victoria Park and when he arrived there he learned that the woman was dead. He went down the hill to look at the body and there was no sign of life. The injuries to her head were severe. The only hard object in the vicinity was half a brick. He went back to the tearooms to make sure the police had been notified and he was at the tearooms when Dr. Hulme arrived to i take the accused away. He took Dr. j Hulme’s name and address. Doctor Called Dr. Donald Walker Walker said that at 3.55 p.m. on June 22 he went to Victoria Park and was met by Ritchie and an ambulance driver. He was told that the woman was dead and he decided to wait for the police. He went down the hillside with Sergeant Hope and a constable to where the body’ was lying. The head was thrown back and lying downhill. There was no doubt about her being dead. The lower denture was lying alongside the jaw. The stockings were muddy and bloodstained. The eyes were closed but gave the impression they had been blackened. There were severe gashes on her head. A half brick was lying near the body. From the appearance of the body he could not reconcile it with an accident. The nearest outcrop of rock was about 50 yards from the body, but he could not be sure of that, Dr. Walker said. Indications were that an already bleeding object had been struck and had spurted blood. The woman had still both stockings on. He could do nothing for the woman and he realised that the police would have to step in. Sergeant Robert William Hope said that in response to a message from Mrs Ritchie at 3.50 p.m. he and Constable Molyneux went to Victoria Bark About 309 yards down the track in the plantation he came on the body of Honora Parker. There was a stream of blood 10 or 12 feet downhill from the head. 'Various objects were strewn about near the body. The only object he could find on which the woman could have fallen and hurt herself was a half brick lying about 15 inches from the body. He also found a lisle stocking on a bank. He told Constable Moiyneux to remain by the body while he went to the police car and called detectives and the police photographer. Constable Donald Molyneux corroborated the evidence given by Sergeant Hope. , Constable Audrey Elsie said she accompanied Detective-Sergeant Tate to Victoria Park and later accompanied the body to the mortuary where she removed the clothing and effects. “An Average Child” Herbert Rieper, a company manager, said that up to June 22 he had lived at 31 Gloucester street with Honora Parker and their children. They had lived together for 23 years and had three children, the accused Pauline Parker being the second. Pauline was an average child. She had osteomylitis when she was five and spent eight or nine months in hospital. She recovered after three years, but could not take part in sports. She took up modelling in plasticine and wood and was very good at it She went to high school when she was 14. Up to that time she was very happy in the home and was good friends with him. She used to help him with his hobbies. She went to the Girls’ High School where she became friendly with the girl Hulme. This friendship became very intense and its effect was that Pauline Parker cut him out of her life. This worried him and Pauline’s mother. Dr. Hulme called at the house and had a discussion with Pauline’s mother. As a result Pauline was taken to Dr. Bennett by her mother, witness continued. In 1953 Pauline bought a horse, but he did not know about it until months afterwards. When she told him she had arranged grazing for the horse he agreed to her keeping it, for he thought it would make the friendship with Juliet Hulme less intense. Pauline had gone to a riding school for years. She lost interest in the horse. She used to go to “Ham,” the home of Juliet Hulme, on occasions and stayed for week-ends. “Pauline has done a terrible lot of writing for some months. She has been writing novels,” Rieper said. “During this year it began to interfere with her school work. As far as I know her mother and she agreed that Pauline should leave school. She then went to a commercial school. The association with Juliet Hulme continued. Last Easter holidays Pauline stayed with Juliet Hulme at ‘Ham.’ Pauline’s mother got in touch with Dr. Hulme again about the friendship. Dr. Hulme said he was leaving New Zealand in three weeks and taking Juliet with him. We were very pleased about that, as the association would be ended. Pauline’s mother decided she would let Pauline see as much of Juliet as she desired, pending her departure.

“Last month Pauline stayed for 10 days with Juliet and we picked her up in the car and brought her home the Sunday before the tragedy,” said witness. “Pauline was brighter and joined in the conversation more than she usually did. She sat in front of the fire writing and said she was writing an opera. “When I went home on the Monday I was pleased when her mother said what bright company Pauline had been and how much work she had done. She said that they were going out together the next day because Pauline would begin work the following Monday. I learned that Juliet Hulme was going with them. When I

went home at lunch time on the Tuesday Juliet Hulme was there and it was quite bright. The girls were *happy and joking.” Rieper said he returned to work and was away from his office on business in the afternoon. When he returned on one occasion there was a message from Mrs Ritchie, and he telephoned Victoria Park. Hp was driven to Victoria Park by a friend, and spoke to Sergeant Hope there. “I did not know anything about Pauline being anxious to accompany Juliet Hulme to England. Her mother had occasion to remonstrate with Pauline at times because of her attitude to us—she would just ignore us. She was never given physical punishment,” said Rieper. The diary produced was a present from him to Pauline. The writing in it was Pauline’s writing. He gave the police permission to interview Pauline after the tragedy. Mother’s Evidence Hilda Marion Hulme, a married woman, said that Juliet Hulme was her daughter, and was born in England on October 28, 1938. When she was two years old she suffered bomb shock and had nightmares. Mrs Hulme said she had periods of illness after her second child was born, and as a result of that and war conditions she was separated from Juliet for a time. When Juliet was five her father, Dr. Hulme, had to go to America. Juliet became seriously ill and was away from school for two years. Mrs Hulme said she and her husband came to New Zealand in 1948, and were joined by Juliet, who had previously come to New Zealand after staying in the Bahamas. Juliet went to the Christchurch Girls’ High School when she was 13, and remained until May, 1953, when she had to go to Cashmere sanatorium. Juliet had undergone an intelligence test and had been rated very high. She had previously attended a private school in the North Island, but was brought home because she was unhapnv. She was not robust physically, and did not make many friends. She was shy and reserved. At home she was a demanding child. “I and my husband were very fond of her, and gave her every care.” she said.

Juliet became friendly with Pauline Parker in the second term at High School. Mrs Hulme said she welcomed that friendship, and was glad to have Paul?:a Parker visit their home. It seemed a perfectly normal friendship at first. Juliet was in the sanatorium for about three months and a half. She was then allowed to go home, but was not discharged cured. Dr. Hulme decided in April this year to leave his position at Canterbury College and return to England, said Mrs Hulme. The first arrangement was that witness w6s to stay in New Zealand because of Juliet’s health, and Dr. Hulme was to go alone. That was changed and Juliet was to go with her father because it had been discovered that Juliet and Pauline Parker planned to go to America. Mrs Rieper had asked that Juliet stay at her home but this was prevented by Juliet having to go into the sanatorium. Juliet was a patient in the Cashmere Sanatorium while witness was in England but was allowed to go home when witness returned to Christchurch. The friendship between the two girls had developed in the meantime and Mrs Rieper was concerned about it. Mrs Hulme advised her to seek medical advice about Pauline.

The girls under persuasion said they had planned to go to America to have their books published and put into films but she and Dr. Hulme thought they had got the girls to put that idea out of their heads, said Mrs Hulme. When it was decided that Dr. Hulme was to return to England he was to take Juliet as far as South Africa with him. Juliet pressed witness and Dr. Hulme to allow Pauline Parker to accompany her but they explained that it was quite out of the question. On the afternoon of Monday, June 21, Juliet received a telephone call from Pauline Parker inviting her to lunch on the Tuesday and witness understood that Mrs Rieper was taking them to Victoria Park. “I agreed that she should go. Juliet left home about 11 a.m. on June 22 with her father. She seemed very happy and very calm. If anything she was more affectionate than before,” said Mrs Hulme. Girls Put to Bed “On Tuesday afternoon my husband brought the two girls home,” said Mrs Hulme. “They were both white and trembling. I prepared a hot bath for them. Mr Perry, who has a flat at our home, came in. He took their clothing to the cleaner. The girls were put to bed, treated for shock and given a meal. Senior Detective Brown and Detec-tive-Sergeant Tate came to the house that night, said Mrs Hulme. Pauline Parker told them that her mother had slipped and hit her head on a stone again and again. She was present the following day whegi a statement made by Juliet was read to Juliet and signed as being true. Just after Christmas the girls stopped calling each other by leir own names. Juliet became Deborah and Pauline Parker became Gina. “Juliet has written two novels as far as I know and they are among the other books produced,” Mrs Hulme said. To Mr Gresson, Mrs Hulme said: “I am giving evidence on subpoena'. Juliet’s early life was spent in London and the North of England under bombing and war-time conditions. When sne was five she developed serious chest trouble and I was advised that her life was in danger and she should be taken to a warmer climate. That is why she was sent to the Bahamas and a reason for us coming to New Zealand. She has always been an exacting and difficult child and long befdre the tragedy we were anxious about defects in her personality and temperament. When we returned to Nev. Zealand after an absence of three months I noticed a marked change in her disposition. She seemed more withdrawn and her friendship with Pauline, seemed to be the only thing that mattered. This friendship seemed to dominate my daughter. “In September she began to write a great deal,” said Mrs Hulme. “Portions have been read to me and it is grandiose and unreal. In the second book’, parts are unpleasant and unbalanced. On the night of Tuesday, June 22,1 slept with Juliet in my arms. Her one repeated sentence was she didn’t want to talk about it. She wanted to go to sleep and forget about it. She wanted noise on the radio. She seemed elated and removed from the tragedy. That night before she went to sleep she was reciting poetry, also the following morning. I have seen her in recent weeks and she seems quite removed from the reality of the situation.”

Walter Andrew Bowman Perry, an industrial consultant, said he came to Christchurch on June 22, 1953. He went to live in a flat, attached to the Hulme’s house, at Christmas last year and had a housekeeper. When Pauline Parker visited the house, Juliet and she kept much to themselves. When Pauline Parker left Ham to return home after visits Juliet Hulme became

morose and inclined to seek her mother’s company, which she had not wanted during Pauline’s visit. A visit by Pauline was usually followed by Juliet spending a day or two in bed. Juliet rote voluminously. “I started to read one book. It was innocuous and the adventure type ’teenagers would read,” said Perry. “I heard' the plots of other stories which showed a change in their trend of thought. Certain amoral tendencies seemed to be creeping in,” he said. ‘‘About March last Juliet asked me if I could sell her horse for her as she wanted money to go home,” said Perry. ‘‘l purchased -the horse myself for £s*o and gave her father the money. I knew that the girls were planning to amass enough money to go to America together. I also knew that there was a proposal that Paulin? accompany Dr. Hulme and Juliet to South Africa. Juliet asked me about the fare by air, and I said about £l5O. Juliet said: ‘On, good. That means we only have to get another £5O. We have about £loo.’ “On the forenoon of Tuesday, June 22, Juliet was excited and more gay than usual,” said Perry. I returned home that afternoon just in front of Dr. Hulme, who had the two girls in the car. Mrs Hulme came to my flat and said Mrs Rieper had fallen on some stones, was very seriously injured and perhaps dead. I was told later that the two girls wished to see me. That was most unusual. I went to the bedroom. Pauline seemed very shocked and almost in a coma. Juliet was badly shocked and trembling, but able to talk. We had a discussion on generalities. Discussion with Parents ‘‘When it was realised that the police would have to come into it, Dr. Hulme, Mrs Hulme and I had a discussion,” said Perry. “It was arranged that I speak to Pauline and that Mrs Hulme speak to Juliet. Pauline told me her mother had tripped on a piece of wood, had fallen and hit her head on a stone, and seemed to keep hitting it. Pauline demonstrated in mime how her mother had done it. I asked her what sort of stone it was and Pauline said she did not know, but it might have been a brick. I asked her if her mother had had a fit, -and she said she did not know. Pauline became very distressed. I asked her if her mother had fallen down a ravine and she said no. She said they had tried to pick her mother up, and might have hurt her when they dropped her. She said she did not know whether hex* mother was alive when she had gone to the tearooms for help. She said she had felt for heart beats, but could not feel any. Pauline became very distressed indeed. I asked Pauline if there had been a quarrel and if her mother had attempted to hit her. She said: ‘My mother has never struck me.’ It was agreed that I be present with the Hulmes when the police interviewed the girls. ‘‘Juliet Hulme gave the police her version of what had happened, and it did not differ from what Pauline Parker had told me earlier,” said Perry. ‘‘l thought there was more to be told, but I still thought it had been an accident. Senior-Detective Brown had given me an indication of Mrs Rieper’s injuries, and I told Juliet to be very careful to tell the truth. She said she had not told the truth before because her mind was confused. She made a statement to Detective-Sergeant Tate and signed it. Pauline Parker was arrested that night and Juliet went to bed.

The following morning I went with Senior-Detective Brown to Juliet’s bedroom, and he told her he had information that she was present when the alleged accident happened. Juliet had said the night before that she had not been present Juliet told SeniorDetective Brown that she preferred to say nothing at the moment. I had another talk with Juliet and she told me the story which she later told to the police as her second statement. I did not gather from her story that the affair had been planned. “When Mrs Hulme came home I told her of my second talk with Juliet, and I asked Mrs Hulme if I could be present when the detectives interviewed Juliet,” said Perry. “She agreed, and I was present when the second statement was made, read to her and signed by her as being true.” To Mr Gresson: “Right from the time the girls arrived home Mrs Hulme, Dr. Hulme and I urged them to tell the truth,” said Perry. Pathologist’s Evidence Dr. Colin Thomas Bushby Pearson, a pathologist, said he examined the body of Honora Parker when it was lying in the plantation at Victoria Park about 7 p.m. on June 22. There were multiple lacerated wounds on the head and face and minor injuries on the fingers. On June 23 he conducted a post-mortem examination of the body. The cause of death was shock associated with multiple wounds of the head and fractures of the skull. There were 45 discernible injuries on the body, 24 being lacterated head wounds, said Dr. Pearson. These head wounds had ragged edges and varied in size and shape. They had been inflicted by a blunt instrument applied with considerable force. The fractures of the skull indicated that the woman’s head was probably immobile on the ground when the force was applied. The injuries could have been caused by a half brick produced in Court. Bruises on the neck suggested that the women was held forcibly by the throat, but there was no suggestion of throttling. The lacerations on the fingers could have been caused when the woman put up her hand to defend herself. It would have taken only a few of the head wounds to produce unconsciousness. The half brick, the stocking foot and the stocking leg minus the foot, all had human bloodstains. Human hairs, similar in texture to those from the head of the dead woman, were adhering to the stocking foot. Senior-Detective Macdonald Brown said that shortly after 6 p.m. on June 22 he and Inspector McKenzie went to the scene of the fatality in Victoria Park. He and Detective-Sergeant Tate later interviewed the two accused at Ham. “We saw the girl Parker in bed.” said witness. “She gave us the same explanation as has already been given in evidence. She said her mother’s head seemed to toss up and down hitting the ground or rocks. She said: ‘lt was awful. We could not hold mother, and we could not pick her up.’ She said she saw a half brick there. I asked her if she saw a stocking there. She seemed taken aback at this, and seemed to stall for time. She said: ‘We did not take mother’s stockings off. I was wearing sockettes.’ Then she! said: ‘I had a stocking with me in my bag. We wiped the blood with it.’ “We then interviewed the girl Hulme, who told the same story as the girl Parker had,” said Senior-Detective Brown. “I said: ‘We have reason to

believe you were not present when the fatality occurred. Will you sav anything to that?’ She semedto hesitate and Mr Perry asked us if we would mind leaving the room while he had a talk to her. We thought it a good suggestion, and left the room. I went with Mrs Hulmb to see the girl Parker. I told her she was suspected of murdering her mother, and warned her she need not say anything. I then said: ‘Would you like to tell me what happened?’ She said: ‘No. But you ask me questions.’ Parker’s Statement Senior-Detective Brown said he took down the questions and answers and produced them in the form of a statement. This was as follows: — “I am 16 years of age and an expupil of the Christchurch Girls’ High School. I left school about March of this year after passing into Form SS. I live with iny parents at ' 31 Gloucester street, Christchurch. “I have been informed that I am suspected of murdering jny mother today. I have been informed that I am not obliged to say anything and that if I do it would be taken down in writing and used as evidence. “I do not wish to tell you what happened. You ask me questions. “Question: Who assaulted your mother? “Answer: I did. “Q: Why? “A: If you don’t mind I won’t answer that question. “Q: When did you make up your mind to kill your mother? “A: A few days ago. “Q: Did you tell anyone you were going to do it? “A: No. My friend did not know anything about it. She (Juliet Hulme) was out of sight at the time, she had gone on ahead. “Q: What did your mother say when you struck her? “A: I would rather not answer that. “Q: How often did you hit her? “A: I don’t know, but a great many times I imagine. “Q: What did you use? “A: A half brick inside the foot of a stocking. I took them with me for that purpose. I had the brick in my shoulder bag. I wish to state that Juliet did not know of my intentions and she did not see me strike my mother. I took the chance to strike my mother when Juliet was away. I still do not wish to f say why I killed my mother. “Q: Did you tell Juliet that you killed your mother? “A: She knew nothing about it. As far as I know she believed what I told her, although she may have guessed what had happened, but I doubt it, as we were both so shaken that it probably did not occur to her. “Q: “Why did Juliet tell the same story as you to the lady in the tea kiosk? “A: I think she simply copied what I said. She might have suspected what I had done and she would not have wished to believe it nor to have got me into trouble. As soon as I had 1 started to strike my mother I regretted it but I could not stop then.” Continuing his evidence, SeniorDetective Brown said “As we were leaving I said: ‘Where did you get the brick?’ I had understood.she had said she got it at Ham. Mrs Hulme, who had been present at the interview, said ‘No. She didn’t get it here.’ The girl Parker said she took it from home.” He and Detective-Sergeant Tate and Rieper went to Rieper’s home and in the girl Parker’s bedroom found a diary, 14 exercise books and a scrapbook containing actors’ photographs, said witness. Extracts from Diary Senior-Detective Brown read extracts from the diary. One dated February 13, 1954, said: “Why could not mother die? Dozens, thousands of people are dying. Why not mother and father, too. Life is very hard.” An entry for April 28 read “Anger against mother boiling inside me as she is the main obstacle in my path. Suddenly means of ridding myself of obstacle occur to me. If she was to die. . . An entry for April 29 read: “I did not tell Deborah of my plans for removing mother. The last fate I wish to meet is one in a Borstal. I wish to make it appear a natural or accidental death.” An entry for June 19 referred to “a plan to moider mother,” and. said: “Naturally we are a trifle nervous but the elation is great.” An entry for June 20 read: “Deborah and I talked for some time. Afterwards we discussed our plans for moidering mother and made them clear. But peculiarly enough I have no qualms of conscience. Or is it peculiar? We are so mad.” An entry for June 21 read: “Deborah rang and we decided to use a brick in stocking rather than a sandbag I discussed various saints with mother just to get her opinion. Mother fallen in with plans beautifully. Feel quite keyed up.” The entry for June 22 read: “I felt very excited last night and sort of night-before-Christmas, but I did not nave pleasant dreams. I am about to rise.”

Senior-Detective Brown said that the dairy for that day was headed: “The day of the happy event.” “Detective-Sergeant Tate and I went to Ham on June 23. I saw the girl in , the Presence of Perry and told her she was suspected of having taken part in the murder of Mrs Rieper,” said Senior-Detective Brown. I asked her if she would like to give an explanation. She said: “I wouldn’t Perry suggested we wait until Mrs Hulme came home, and later De-tective-Sergeant Tate took a statement from the girl Hulme.” To Dr. Haslam, witness said that an early portion of the diary entry for April 28 read: “I felt depressed and seriously considered committing suicld®-_ Life seems not worth the living and death is such an easy way out.” Mr Gresson: Before you obtained the second statement from the girl Hulme did you tell her the girl Parker had changed her story? Witness: I did not put it that way. As a result of something written on a piece of paper by the girl Parker apparently for her diary, I had reason to belleye the two girls were together at the time of the alleged murder. I did tell the girl Hulme that the girl Parker had said: “Let us get together for a talk, and Deborah will tell you what I consider right.” Hulme’s Statement Detective-Sergeant Archie Brian Tate gave evidence on taking the following statement from the accused Hulme on June 22 at ‘Ham’:— “I am 15 years of age and live at home with my parents. For the last two years I have been very friendly with Pauline Yvonne Parker Rieper The friendship arose through being in the same form at school. She has i often stayed here with me. I have also

stayed at her place. We telephone each other daily, and yesterday Pauline rang and invited me to accompany her ar t her mother to Victoria Pai-k. We h. d never been there together before. I had been there myself about five years ago. I do not know if Pauline had been there before. “I went to Pauline’s place for lunch. I got there shortly after 11 a.m. Pauline and Mrs Rieper were there when I arrived. Relations wera normal between Mrs Rieper and Pcftiline when 1 arrived. I mean that they were pleasant to each other. I know that Pauline and her mother frequently had rows, and I know that Mrs Rieper resented the fact that Pauline was friendly with me. We had lunch at some time after 12 noon. Mr Rieper and Pauline’s sister, Wendy, were also there for lunch. Pauline and I did the washing up with Mrs Rieper after lunch. Mr Rieper had gone with Wendy by that time. “About 20 minutes after Mr Rieper left the house, Mrs Rieper, Pauline and I left to go to Victoria Park. We walked to the Square. We waited for a bus which went to the Hills terminus. I do not know at what time the bus left the Square. When we arrived at the Takahe we left the bus and walked to Victoria Park by way of the rough metal road. When we arrived at the park we entered the tea rooms and Mrs Rieper had a cup of tea. Pauline and I had soft drinks and some cakes and scones. • Afterwards we all walked down the track on the side of the hill where the plantation is. It was decided before we left Mrs Rieper’s home that we intended to walk down this track. I don’t know who suggested it first. It was not my suggestion. “We went down the track for quite a long way. I found a small pink stone. We were all walking together. I picked it up and talked about it. I still have it. We went on down for quite a long way. Pauline and I left Mrs Rieper on the track for about three minutes and went further down. It may have been a shorter time. We went just out of her sight. She did not think she wanted to go on and we thought we would like to go to the end if she didn’t- mind. “We decided to come back and we rejoined Mrs Rieper. We all three of us walked up the track. I was in front nearly all the way. I dropped behind once, but caught up again and got ahead once more. J. found that we were getting near the place where I had found the pink stone. I told the others that I would go to the place where I had found the stone. I went on ahead and left them behind I searched for a setting from which 1 thought the stone might have come. I spent some minutes looking for this. “While I was looking around in this spot I heard a voice call out. I cannot say now whether it was Pauline’s voice or her mother’s. I did not return immediately. I called out and told them I would come soon or something to that effect. I had to go back along the track to reach Pauline and her mother. I have no idea of the distance. I came upon both of them. “I found Mrs Rieper lying on the ground. Pauline was there. Pauline was hysterical. There was blood all around Mrs Rieper’s head. I was shocked. I took her head in mv lap. Mrs Rieper did not speak to me. I think she was unconscious. She seemed to be to me. I think Pauline helped me. That was when I tried to nestle her head on my lap. “I do not remember seeing a stocking with a knot in it. 1 did not take any particular notice of a brick. I do not know how long we stayed with Mrs Rieper. It might have been five minutes. It could have been any time. I asked Pauline wnat had happened. She said that her mother had slipped and banged her head against a stone. I believed her at that time I felt that we had to get help. Pauline and I hurried up the path towards, the tea kiosk. When we got there we told the story between us as to what had happened. The story we, told was that we had been together 1 when Mrs Rieper had fallen and had ; obtained her injuries when she had fallen on some stones.

‘I knew that when I said this it was not true that I had been present when Mrs Rieper had got her injuries, but I said I was there because the idea occurred to me that they may have quarrelled, but I thought that she probably had slipped. However, I thought uiat it would be better for Pauline if I said I was there and supported her story that Mrs Rieper had obtain'd her injuries accidentally. We waited at the kiosk for my father to come and letch us. He was summoned by telephone. He brought us home “I told my mother and Mr Perry the story that I was present when the re-' cident occurred. 1 also to.d the nolice 1 the same story when I first saw them J to , ld ‘l 1 ? 1 s A or ?- becaus e I wanted to: oe loyal to Pauline and did not want I to see her in any trouble. Mrs Rieper (

had no quarrel within my hearintfr to my knowledge at any time at toria Park today. |k “Pauline afid I have been engaA in writing novels for some time. IK the plots of these? books the quesiiAi of murder has arisen. We often d:s:a|ri murders in this connexion and mAi well have done so at Pauline’s p!wa today before we left home. I camlj remember exactly what we !al«w about.” Further Inquiries R, As a result of further inquiries interviewed the accused Hulme agaK on June 23 and she made the folloi, ing statement, after apologising JA misleading him, said Detective-Stl, geant Tate:— “Pauline wanted to come with r| r to South Africa. I wanted her l r ' come, too. My father and I booked to leave New Zealand on J'Jj) 3 next. Pauline and I had discuss** the matter. We both thought that W Rieper might object. “We decided to go with Mrs Riepff' to Victoria Park. We decided tha’.ff 1 ' would be a suitable place to the matter and have it out. I that it was proposed that we sho* take a brick in a stocking to * park with us. Pauline rang me iff 1 cently and gave me the invitatii to go with Pauline and her moW to Victoria Park. I knew this wyl the trip we had planned. It njr have been the day before yestero* that she rang. “I left home with my father about 10.30 a.m. yesterday. I hadff part of a brick which I wrapped < a newspaper. I had got it from dw“ the garage. My father left me nej Beaths. I made seme personal ,|||| chases there and then walked te*| Rieper’s house. I arrived there carrying the brick. I gave it to rH| ine. I know the brick was (Au the stocking at Rieper’s house. *«| not put it there. h “Mrs Rieper. Pauline and I lei* place after lunch to go to ykt«|| Park. Pauline carried the bricjc stocking in her shoulder bag. S| went to Victoria Park together had tea as, I have previously There had been no conversatiOßjall the subject of the South African up to this time. We walked down the tracks among There was a pink stone on the I dropped it there myself. We to a spot well down the P aths Mrs Rieper decided to come IM! On the way back I was waUBnSJ! front. I was expecting Mrs to be attacked. ! “I heard noises behind me.. IWI | loud conversation and Mrs Rieper in a sort of • squaw position. They were went back. I saw Pauline Rieper with the brick in thegj|mj ing. I took the stocking andlMW too. I was terrified. I thought■of them had to die. I wanted tc Pauline. It was terrible. Mrs moved convulsively. We both ® 1 her. She was still when we Jen The brick had come out of the sto-1 ing with the force of the blows. 1 “I cannot remember Mrs nieri saying anything distinctly. I was frightened to listen. We botn »J back to the tea kiosk and toll - woman there that Mrs Rieper had: w and had got her injuries in tnat My father was called and took us home. _ “I have always known mother as Mrs Rieper. I am sure Pauline would have told me. » had known, that her parents wer married and that her mothers was Parker. I was not quite sure was going to happen when we■. to Victoria Park yesterday. I WJJg ■we may have been able to \ j Mrs Rieper with the brick a ” would have given her consen LtM for Pauline and I to stay W 8 . i After the first blow was str ; knew it would be necessary J • ito kill her. I was terrified and Ikcal. Tlie three pages of this stal have been read to me. They and correct.” , p After her arrest the accused 17* wrote on a piece of paper probably intended as a slip diary, said Detective-Sergeant The following day she threw tne of paper into the fire but it trieved by the pc,lice matron, in - cluded with lhe words: “Thffi.ffij questioned Deborah but I blame.” Much of the rest was decipherable. . Witness produced a piece he had obtained from the at Ham and also a piece garden at Rieper’s home. Thererg several pieces of brick at both he said. Detective Gordon Ferguson produced cloth‘ii? he had y from a cleaner ar a a’.s:» a stocKl«R bod-' I ’/ Victoria Park.