GIRL MURDERERS’ DETENTION

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27444, 2 September 1954, Page 10

GIRL MURDERERS’ DETENTION

Mt. Eden And Arohata Chosen

CABINET DECISION ANNOUNCED

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 1. The Cabinet decided today that the greatest punishment that could be imposed on the convicted murderers, Pauline Yvonne Parker, aged 16, and Juliet Marion Hulme, aged 15 years 10 months, was to separate them. In the meantime, Hulme is to be confined in Mount Eden gaol, Auckland, and Parker will be moved from Paparua Prison to the Arohata Borstal Institution, north of Wellihgtoh, in about three weeks.

Announcing this today, the Minister of Justice (Mr T. C. Webb) said it was proposed later to reverse the allocation so that Parker “will have a taste of Mount Eden.” Mr Webb said he consulted the Cabinet at an informal meeting today on the question of the girls detention. After a report from the Secretary of Justice (Mr S. T. Barnett) had been heard, it tvas decided that for the time being Hulme would be put t in Mount Eden, and Parker transferred to Arohata. Parker would be transferred when a security compound containing three escape-proof rooms, at present being constructed, was completed in about three weeks. “We contemplate later reversing the allocation so that Parker will have a taste of Mount Eden and Hulme will come to Arohata,” Mr Webb said. Their sentences would come up for review periodically in the normal way, he added. Mr Webb said that reports before the meeting today from psychiatrists and officers were in accord with the views of the Ministers that the greatest punishment that could be imposed was to keep the prisoners separated. “We intend to do this under all circumstances,” he added.

On the information available, Hulme was the more dominant personality, the Minister said, but it was not intended to treat them differently. While at Auckland the prisoners would take a normal place ift the prison community, Mr Webb said.