THE MEIKLE CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8130, 2 May 1906, Page 5

THE MEIKLE CASE.

DUNEDIN, May 1. j Jußticea Edwards and Ooopo'' sat, | to-day, aa a Royal Commipsion to I inquire into the case of Mr John James Meikle. Mr A. R. Atkinson, of Wellington, appeared for Mr Meikle, and Dr Findlay for the Crown. The terms of the Commission have been previously published. Mr Atkinson opened the case for Mr Meikle at ! great length. The Commission sitting in 1906 was asked to decide wbetbßr a man was rightly convioted in 1887. That was the main question, but there were other questions. If Mr Meikle was not a sheep stealer, and if, as he contended, he was lot merely wrongly convicted, but innocent, then he was as grossly wronged aa man could be. His fate had been worse thau that of a murderer. He bad been unjustly robbed of his liberty and reputation, and praotically everything that made life worth living. He had succeeded in securing the conviction of the chief witness against him for perjury, and yet he bad been permitted to go on for eleven years with bis great wrongs unredressed. Counsel then went on to review the evidenoe given at the hearing of the charge against Mr Meikle, and commented on it. *He referred to difficulties encountered by Mr Meikle on his release from prison in working up a case against Lambert for perjury. Counsel had not concluded his address when the Commission adjourned. ~£j rJWi