MEIKLE DISSATISFIED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1048, 10 February 1911, Page 7

MEIKLE DISSATISFIED.

'i^#WILL CARRY HIS GRIEVANCES TO :-!^s- : , ! ;?:'iv. : ] -' ;: - eng land. "•.■ : - ■".".• -,' iIHii^rf£;'DEPiBTTOE:;YESTERDAY. ; ,"/,, ; ?| "H'l^SSjiE"' INTERESTING S CORRESPON-. :,K ; ; "-■ V^;; ;.',;.'•'.' leave to-day. by the Tiirakina i;>>-- put my case, before tho $&•■*: brutal .treatment I-have received from the cum ;Seddon-Ward Government. -Life and ; ;; liberty is an Imperial matter; and in my ;,;:;.•,;'■ opinion it'is' all to, send Sir J. ■J/r- ;■.; f Homo" over, tho defence of New '..';* ;; Zealand, v. There is nonoed to.defcnd New ;'•,;> :; Zealand,".wherein Justice..cannot bo: obs%:-' Itaiicd, -I v have entered .into,tbo .twenty- ;;.,;, ; fourtbV'TeaY of my. fight for justice,' and ■(iVi, *;|iSir!'j. G.:;Ward'votes' iSSOfI to'reinstate;'|.y.'.; '■•(\ 'raoiind pay. 'all'.law. costs! ■": Sir, you will i. V- '}; Pwtly oblige^me;,by.inserting the.en■'"y; ;' ■' closed,'correspondence. Pleaso accept -my • ! !; ',i''-' ■ most sincere ■ thanks for th 6 many • kind vv': articles that Appeared in The • - :'•} .on< my behalf.-;' Sir,-1 owe a debt of '.gratitude to .the many : friends all over ,'• New. Zealand.who have tried • to'• got i' Mcikle a little tardy justice, for which I ■.•••'■ , return-my inost sincere- thank».—l am, ■.•-'V ;ietc.,: ' ■■■ ■■'.■■v -v:r.--\. -.'■•-.. .• ' „ ■i ;-:"■: ■!='.•■; Ji'MEIXLE.'. ; r ; " ''•'.'■! Post Office,' Wellington; '; ;•('.■ 'v.;' k j:-. i ' i r«bruary.-.0,;;19n.;i';v,i;-v:V',. ! ; ( : ..' < &■ ; . : J'.-.'•'Vy&fv /-'"' '"'"' li:k '.;,'•,'.■V-.-,.0: /Wellington, December 21,' 1910. &;iri':'<;.The: RightHonVSir'tftG. Ward,.' 'J. :■ m • l Minister," Parliament House, Q~'?s).$ z ffisJ?2\ f -'r Wellington. ;>'' ; ;' '. ; ■' ,: '',"' I' >' I ■-» Sir,—Will' you • kindly reply and. let mo v'';;,'! ; :kh6w"tha reason why.,tho Secretary of the, r.}. ,:i:'Jflstice" Department, gavo' mo-the.follow-!;/-•!•".■>!<ink' 1 letter' dated December 9, 1910r— „_...', '■'',:•".";' 'f',;Shv—ln v handing '■' you' tho : accom- ;■■ '.: v ; t'.:,pa'nying cheque for'thoienm of JE2300,,. . .'i. :i. . steinjjitho amount voted'to you by,_ > r',y I; am'"instructed by, the.;; :':'=■•,'■:- ; 'tV.Government'to Inform, you that' the '~ .'V ypayinont is^madejn-full satisfaction.. r.':',.,isaud';discharge,of-all;- orfany, claims.'■' V i !V ' i yoiv mayr have in, connection! iWith ■ ': ; ' ! :' J?ur' jWongful;conviction,••',imprison- ' ',;.- > ■"'. imehri,'and*.losses sustained.or rcsult- .',:.;: and impri-' :';'•;'''wnment, .nnd; v that r the 'Government ■ ;:■; : will ■ not recognise "any claims -or do- ;; ■; ;,:'(mands' you may mnkefiri :the' future ].V i'.'.''on .any account.whatever. ;■ : . ,'.' :■'''■■ 'h ' ; I;liave tho-honour-to bftj»;

7^W: : '- r ; : '''-V'--;siT, s V^,/:■;-,:-. ■v J -iV'' ("''- -■ 'Yorir mosVbbediont'servant,' '-f '.(Signed),-■ F, WALDEGRAVE. -;'. :S>:"|i ':S'y-^ i ■"■ ■■'->j' I '■-PD^ cr ". secretary. ■• : ,y:.'; *Bir,vaftcr. seeing you ", personally on the ;.' 'Tuesday previous, I stated that tbo ~..';' JE2500 would 'not pay?my just debts, not v, eouhtinir my losses and 23 years' fighting '!'y,.fbr'ijnstice;'"On October'9i;'lß!>s, the highest tribunal of tho land recommended un-

;.;:;''dcr; four distinct .headings threo distinct j V':..,> 6ums-rlosEes In.connection with my busi- a •:,: j't (nbss,'" legal costs in, defending' tho chargo .■/■' i preferred against mo, and .costs ; iu secur- j v .'.r-ihgJthe.conTlttibn. of: Lambert for per- j '•'jury.;VTj»o % . fourth., heading-was for,' false t \' ; '; ; imprisonmcht..;Tho amount was not stat- c ;', - ei.for false imprisonment. ';, .Under tho j f.;; other-; threo headings tho amount was s >iJ :'■-' X4B2S' 3s. After waiting fifteen years I < ..' .. atd'allowed >C 2500. ' ', :/ . ( '■"! i : .'--\lijVt your wish, sir, or by your dircc- t ".'■:\ .tianV'.that'tho Secretary of' Justico gavo ( ;,.>" ''mS.siieh a letter.-'-;-If'such bo the caso I | \,-» wish-'tb.point out that you gave to John , ';:•/!'Frfibody'donble" tho -amount that ,; was' j '-.'.: V'vqted; •to';' John'Frcebodyfor-al- j ;■;.;, •'•'?:•'"■' " •;■•■' , ,i ■ '.;f iSir, yon are hoad^bf' 1 tho" Government', _ ;!y-i ahd-fepresent the Imnerial authorities'of .: EhfelaWd.'; Tho Moiklb caso ■ should not '■ • I '■ ;■•. .'.hare been-thrown'on?the mercy, of .Par- j i; ' / liftment.',. Th« of tho.lleiklo caso | :■':'•'Mflas to bo wry inconsistent, and Lmust ( V V appeal:' to tho Imperial 'authorities as,; &. .< '■'■' ;' British.- subject fcnd,?.ask-.for -t t• ':■/■ i; and justice. .. - .'■',-: '-..'•■' .-.'-,-, : j ■-:.' •.; ; .' Sif ( \ I ram'-, anxiously'awaiting your; re- ] -'■ '"■'.■' : '-plj; ii v*'i 'v« <■(.*■:■ ;• :..-''M.v. ;/..!•/,.s' ;..--4; ; | .. ' •-'. -K-f.'t- •-,i':-;-.£iremaJß,',Sir,v-"j--.'.'. ; i' \.a\; -. \ ~ o-'.* : -. ' Your obedient .servant,'-.-' , "■<■: : '; t= ■•)■•'•',: ■-.-. -j.: ; j. meikle: 1 :. \ '■'<' r il'f-' " 'Prima,Minister's Office,. ... -'■."',V <.'•■ ■'■•" \ Wellington, January 19, 191L-- :., :, ■'■■■Ur:>3.-3. Meikle,.:..;■' ■ ■-, , . : -i'ii Wellington. ,•.-.-;'•■'.•.... | - . ■.''.,•'•'' '■'■ ' ~ "--: - '' ,'. i '■■ '■/ ■■''< -''-- Vf'J- 1- am in-receipt' of your'.letter of. ■ . ■■•';, ■i'DecVm'bcr 21;' relative to .tho terms of a . -'.'■ v .'-, letterj dated' December 9.' from therUui T I:!':; w-Secretary'of the Justico Department; ,;!.-'■■ '■;.' W'julering.yon a cheqno.for the sum "of i ! .l',' V iiiOO*.voted to', yon• t>y 'Parliament last :?;.,.';".;'eMsloni';'■'.■.'.'.': ';•'■■]"•.,''. : ■■'■'• . '. ■'". '•" ' '■' '«[■'■ ' •!•' •1° wply, I" desire 'to„ say. that Trhen' ;.r ' ': the'Utfm was .'voted, it. was ■ intended. by -' Parliameht that St should bo in full and <i '-• final settlement of all claims whatsoever ,'. .'by yon, and Government feels bound to .: ': :, give.effect:to tho decision.,of Parliament V j'Tr in,the matter.' It, was for that reason '- ','■"•;;; that; tha,letter yon onoted was handed ■'•:■',to.; -y6u,.- together wita - the cheque for , ' ■'. J62500; ';'.'■■" ■-■■: ■ ■ •■- V .i..'.','-''-'-*'''-'-'-..', - >'-Yonrs- i faltMally.- ■•.'■•,.• '■:■■ 'y';- : - ■'■■ ■'•.<■'--■/.- .(Sed.) ;J- Q. WARD.; ''■'■'v..-''•i'iV\: i '''-•*-' '■■'*'■:* .Wellington, ; - ;,";,';:;. f-'yir .•'''/';.:•' : : '' ;Fehruary ,9, ; 191L ■ V-v-Thi .Right &tJ. Wai'd; ' ',' v' \ '' V-Prlraa Minister, - Parliament Houses , 'v''yJ : ..!\y<rPiy:'' ■'•' Wellington;;. <:■ '■'■■:■ :'■'■■ ' '' vGirr-In''reply ttfyoun'- letter 'dated" De- "!.■:- ,'■ ceinber 21,' 1910.' -You stato that the letter -dated December-9 from-tho.Cnder-Sccre-tary.:of tho. Justico Department, tender- •-,'•■.* ;ihj'»'chequo for tho sum:of,JC2soo voted " : '" by /Parliament last session'to-Meikle was . : in, : iull Satisfaction of all claims. Sir, I' ybfl; state further that. when tho ■ 6um ';>•.' wM.voteditwas-intonded by Parliament •. :', to .'be'final, and in full: tettlement of ;'■•: all■''> claims whatsoever by Meikle, and -.', that the. Government feels bound to givo *, effect to the'decision of Parliament in tho -.■.'.' matter.'. ~-;' -■■ :,.;.. . ~'■..-, , r ■-.' ■".'-'i j."'-,' -'• Sir,- it seems stranw that you should ■;■'.; put'edown on tho JESOOO ■ to - '."'ietUo,my. claim-and .allow the vote in r:i-■■ ■•• '1908,-to be:cutidown to oho pound; .thon, r'v, - again; l Mr; Arnold is,instructed by you, !."" • isjr;. to offer;Mciklo;.JElso,a.year for,lifo >' ;-toisettle.the claim;;thon, .again, on-.De: ■ cem'ber- 3, 1910, vou reinstate a vote of v- - ■'- s JfcoOOO-to settle Meikle's claim, and allow fi it/tb be reduced to J82400. - ,- • i,Sir;-on December 7 last I'stated that • my debts, amounted •to nearly '.'JE4OOO.You/ tir, seem to be very generous in- '! deed. Just let mo point out .that the -;•'- members of the House had no right to -.',.- , vote one penny. Sir, it was your duty to settle tho matter. The liberty of tho '.-'■ subject is a-nnestibn for the Imperial v.', authorities to eettle. : Siri it was a duty '. entirely for-von to settle. I have had -.'.'.,' to-prosecnto Lambert for. pcrinry at my - ■ own expense.? The Justico Department ' refnstd to prosecute.. ,It was the duty ■ '■•'■' >:' of'the law olliccrs to prosecute, and you idr, now state that tho amount is to be ■J " ■-. final.,; ..; -' - ; ,' , In my opinion, sir, yon do'not need to SO, Home lo England . over the defence ■ ■, ouestion; -Theia it no heed to defend the -, Dominion of Now Zealand when a man '',* ekpnot get justice in New. Zealand, now- . ever.niy disgraceful, caso will bo put be- . . fore *ho-Imperialsauthorities at Home, '.;.. an<l:lwillleelnre in London and elsewhere; about' the brutal -treatment that ">- ';•- ':- I'have received from the cum Scddonifard Government. ' .'Sir, why was Judgo Ward's conduct ri'bt inauired into, who gave Meiklo seven ; years' penal servitude wrongfully? You "('■'■ granted Judge Ward JCCOO a year pension. , ' I «hall havoa lot to say about this eass ■', when I get to England. Dr. Eindlay. '.'.'■' nbr'dsnht, is th« man who, dictates and v : >'■';•''; predominates.,',; ..■ . ■'. ;-; ']:'■ ':■';[<■■;.;■;• •' I remain,- sir, v?- Yaur obfdlent servant, ;>; ■';' -v -~:■" ; :,' ' JOHN J. MEIKLE. .:•:.,'"'■'■■ Past Office, Wellington.'' <S'-' .'■'''. P.S.—Sir,'when it suited your own wish you ecnld reinstate Pember Reeves's vote /■';■'-.■' of jC<OO, and brinj same of the members' .'■■■ '- luck and vete as you wished them to '■'■> . do and 'against their consciences. '*?'+■' , .'■■•.-. -. .'.•'..-■ :;'.-..".-. .'•'-.'J-J.M.". •: ; "'. ?[We have omitted from this last letter > ; -, certain strong comments on the manner 'N ■■'■'■' ■■ in which: Dr. Plndlay conductfd the casa ? - against Meikle beforo the Meikle Com- ?,*.'.'•'•'• v l . missioil.] -