PROTEST MEETING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2569, 17 September 1915, Page 3

PROTEST MEETING

THE CASE OF ALICE PARKINSON. _ A. public meeting about 1000 strong decided at the Town Hall last evening to protest against the life sentence passed at Napier by the Chief Justice on Alico Parkinson, who was charged with the murder of Bert West (the father of her child) and found guilty of manslaughter by a jury. Mr. E. J. Moore presided over the meeting. The chief speaker was Mr. P. J. Dolan, who was counsel for the defendant at her trial. Among those present on tho platform was Alice Parkinson's father. Mr. Dolan said that it was not often that a barrister pleaded the case of a client from a public platform, and his appearance on the present occasion was necessitated by tho limitations of New Zealand law. It had often been said that New Zealand was progressive in its legislation but it was behind England, in that there was no appeal against such a sentence. The right of ordering a death sentence should not be reposed in a single individual, however great. It was noteworthy that Mr. Justice Edwards had. said at, Wanganui that the Court of Appeal should liave the power of revising sentences by Judges. Mr. traced the story of Alice Parkinson from her childhood. Her Sunday school teacher had testified that she was one of the best little girls at the school. Several of her employers had spoken very highly of her, and 60,000 people had signed a petition protesting against her sentence. Amongst the -.'signatories . .was the Hon. Dr. /M'Nab, who was now Minister of Justice. Mr. Dolan went on to say | that _after. the birth of her child Alice Parkinson arranged to marry West, but West failed to keep the appointment for the ceremony. She then met him one night, and asked him when he in-tended-to. marry her. He said that he had no intention of marrying her. Ho pushed her away, and then the tragedy, occurred. The jury who heard the case, when asked what their verdict was, said: "We find her guilty of manslaughter only, because of the extreme provocation she received, and we strongly recommend her to mercy." ' "I piedge you my solemn belief," added Mr. Dolan, "that if they had known that that sentence was going to be passed they would not have agreed upon a verdict."' Other. speakers, were Messrs. G. L. Rae, H. Holland,' and Mrs. J. Donaldson. > '

The meeting .carried' the following resolution unanimously: "That this meeting of the citizens of Wellington .emphatically protests against the extremely severe sentence passed upon Alice Parkinson, and, considering that she ■lias" already suffered, sufficiently, calls upon the' Minister of Justice to take steps for the revision of the sentence and tlius give effect to the strong recommendation of tfie jury." The meeting also carried a motion protesting against the action of the Mayor and council in refusing the free uso of the Town Hall for the meeting. It_is probable that an endeavour will be made; for a large deputation to wait on the Minister of Justice very shortly.