THE MEIKLE COMMISSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8323, 3 January 1907, Page 5

THE MEIKLE COMMISSION.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

WELLINGTON, January 2

The Eoyal Commission which is enquiring into the claim of J. J. Meikle for compensation (Mr Justice Edwards and Mr Justice Cooper) sat again' in Wellington, to-day, for the purpose of taking further evidence. Mr D. M. Findlay represented the Crown, and Mr A. R. Atkinson appeared for the claimant. Mr Findlay stated that it had been agreed to abandon the evidence that had been taken at Home from Mr Cameron. It was due by the next San Francisco mail, but so as not to delay the commission, it had been ax-ranged to abandon it. He added that the Crown did not object to the. claimant calling fresh evidence which was relevant and admissible, notwithstanding that the claimant had closed his case.

Mr Justice Edwards remarked, in the course of a desultory discussion, that this fresh evidence was absolutely irregular and inadmissible according to. the rules of law, but it was being admitted in order to prevent any suggestion of hardship, Thomas William Perry, an hotelkeeper, at Christchurch, said that he was manager of Islay Station and was succeeded by Mr Troup in 1886 or 1887. Mr Meikle's property was in oats, grass and turnips, and there was some of it in flax and not under cultivation. During witness' management he did not give any information to the police of the loss of sheep, but of course there was the loss that was to be expected. Had 1,000 sheep been lost witness would have known of it. There was always trespassing of sheep between the Company's property and Meikle's because there was no fence. Sometimes Meikle's sheep were on the Company's property and vice versa. Meikle sued the Company v/ith regard to' the fencing, but was non-suited.

Cross examined by Mr Findlay. witness said that the number of sheep that trespassed was very small, two or three or perhaps a few more. Meikle had put up an extra wire on his fence and he thought the Company should have done the same with regard to their fence, and that was the cause of the law suit. He saw nothing which caused him to suspect more than the ordinary loss of sheep from the station.

Edmund Wild, a farmer at Mimio, said that he attended a sale at Grey's place some time before Meikle's conviction. He went over the land with Meikle and came across a dead sheep. Witness said, "Why don't you skin that sheep?" Meikle replied, "Because it belongs to the Company." There was an excellent springing crop on Meikle's land then. When Meikle went away to take his trial he asked witness to look after his farm, and he did so for about a week. There was better grass on his place than on the Company's land.

CABLE NEWS.]

By Telegraph—Press Association -G jpyri^ht