H.—2l

56

J. J. MEIKLE

401. How long were you in the Police service? —Twelve months. It did not suit me. 402. We need not go into that. What was your position? —I was in the Mounted Force at the Dunstan along wdth Inspector Moore. 403. Doing the ordinary work of a mounted policeman?—l did what I was told; there was nothing against my character. 404. lam not suggesting that. I suppose it was part of your duty to attend the Court in your capacity as a policeman?—No; senior people did the Court work. I never did any; it was out of my line. 405. Do you mean to say you never did any?—l was asked to write a report because Mr. Justice Williams and other people were annoyed by blasting operations at Anderson's Bay. 406. You were a mounted constable for twelve months?—l was a mounted constable for twelve months. 407. Tell us why you left? —Because it did not suit me. 408. Then you took to farming?—No; I did not. 409. What did you do next?— Well, I was not thieving. Dr. Findlay: There is no occasion for excitement, Mr. Meikle. You will do much better by answering the questions put to you. Mr. Justice Cooper: If you will give your evidence as you did in Wellington to Dr. Findlay, you will get along much better. 410. Dr. Findlay (to witness).] Mr. Atkinson referred to some earlier difficulties between yourself and the company.—That is so. 411. I understand before you were tried and convicted of sheep-stealing in 1887 you had been a month in gaol for assault 1- —Quite correct. 412. Now, the assault, as I understand alleged, was an assault on McCauley?- —That is so. 413. Mr. McCauley had come to your place for what purpose?—To muster sheep. 414. He wanted you to muster your sheep?— Yes. 415. For what purpose?—l do not know. 416. Was it to ascertain whether some of the company's sheep were among yours?—l suppose so. 417. Did you agree to muster your sheep?—l told him to wait until after the lambing. 418. You refused to muster your sheep. McCauley came upon your premises with a nose which was not broken, and went off it with the middle bone of it broken ? —lt was broken down the road-line by a man who admitted having struck him. I did not strike him. I know he had his nose broken, because the man who did it confessed it before Judge Williams. 419. You knew he had his face battered with some man's fist so that he could scarcely be recognised? —I did not see anything wrong with his face more than that there was a bit of skin off his nose. 420. The Magistrate who tried you thought it was so serious an assault that he committed you to a month's imprisonment, with hard labour?—He did. 421. You swore you never touched him?—l did, and I do so to-day. 422. Yet after that oath was pledged by you you were convicted and sent to gaol for a month. Now, in addition to the conviction by the Magistrate, Mr. McCullough, who heard your case, and after your denial that you touched McCauley, an information for perjury was laid against you?— No, I appealed. 423. Yes, but you appealed to Mr. Justice Williams. You still served your month. That conviction was never quashed?—lt could not be quashed the way the thing was drawn. 424. You attempted to have the conviction quashed. You appealed to the Supreme Court. You were also charged with perjury? —Yes, and so was McCauley. 425. The information for perjury was laid against you first?— Yes. 426. After the information was laid against you for perjury, you laid one against McCauley? —That is so. 427. The information came before a Magistrate, and you were committed for trial? —Before a J.P. 428. You were tried before twelve men in Invercargill, and the jury could not agree?— Yes. 429. The jury could not agree, and there was a further trial, and again the jury did not agree ?—That is so. Mr. Justice Edwards: What became of the indictment ultimately ? Dr. Findlay: A nolle prosequi was entered, sir. 430. Dr. Findlay (to witness).] As regards the charge against McCauley by you, what did the Grand Jury do?— They threw the bill out. 431. This was two years before the trouble in 1887?— That is so—a little more. 432. You say it was more than two 3-ears: how many years?— Nearly three years, I think. 433. These events took place in 1884?— Yes. 434. You petitioned against this iniquity?—l petitioned in 1887. We were in Court continually. 435. You waited from 1884 to 1887 before you petitioned?—No; I went to Wellington in 1886 and interviewed the Minister of Justice. 436. That was nearly two years afterwards?—No, I kept writing up and down. 437. Mr. Justice Edwards.] About what?— About the alleged assault and perjury cases 438. When did they take place?—On 6th October, 1884. 439. Dr. Findlay.) Now you. tell their Honours that this assault took place on the 6th October, 1884, and that you petitioned about the perjury case and went up to Wellington about them three years after —in 1887?— I went up in July, 1886. 440. What was your petition about in 1887?— It was about the wrongful conviction which was recorded against me and also about the alleged perjury case and the expense I had been put to.