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7.5.3 Rieper, Herbert Detlev.
**Herbert Rieper, a company manager (his description in The Press) gave the following testimony at the July 16 Hearing:
Up to June 22 he had lived at 31 Gloucester St with Honora Parker and their children. They had lived together for 23 years and had 3 children, Pauline Parker being the second. Pauline was an average child. She had osteomyelitis when she was 5 and spent 8 or 9 months in hospital. She recovered after 3 years, but couldn't 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 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 see Dr Bennett by her mother. 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 Ilam, the home of Juliet Hulme, on occasions and stayed for weekends.
"Pauline has done a terrible lot of writing for some months. She has been writing novels. 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 Ilam. Pauline's mother got in touch with Dr Hulme again about the friendship. Dr Hulme said he was leaving New Zealand in 3 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. 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 her returned to work and was away from his office on business in the afternoon. There was a message from Mrs Ritchie when he returned and he phoned Victoria Park. He 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."
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.
