MURDEROUS ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1943, Page 4

MURDEROUS ATTACK

ON WOMAN ON MARLBOROUGH FARM ' VICTIM IN CRITICAL STATE BOY'S REPORTED CONFESSION (By Telegraph—Press Association.) BLENHEIM, This Day. A boy aged 15 entered the Post Office at Ward yesterday afternoon and announced to the postmistress that he had murdered Mrs Robertson, mother-in-law of his employer, Mr A. G. Roberts, at Kaka Ridges Farm, in the absence in Blenheim of Mr and Mrs Roberts. The boy, who is a ward of the State, was detained by the postmistress, who summoned help. When the police arrived from Seddon they found Mrs Muriel Marguerite Robertson, aged 57, lying unconscious on the floor of the homfestead, suffering from severe head injuries, as a result of having been battered with some heavy object. She was removed to the Wairau Hospital, Blenheim, where she underwent an immediate operation. Her condition this morning is reported to be critical. Her assailant appears before the Children's Court tomorrow. Mrs Robertson and the boy were the, only people at the homestead, which is in an isolated situation. The conduct of the boy, who had been employed as a farm hand for about two months, had given no cause for- anxiety. When he walked into the post office he bluntly stated that he had committed a murder. The postmistress, Miss Fay McAlpine, who was alone on the premises, acted with commendable coolness, telling the lad to sit down and wait. She rang the police at Seddon and then went on with her work until the arrival of the police party. The boy gave no trouiole during the wait of nearly an hour. He said: “I didn't know why I done it.” The victim of the assault is a widow belonging to Nelson.