THE MEIKLE ACQUITTAL BILL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 319, 5 October 1908, Page 8

THE MEIKLE ACQUITTAL BILL.

, Sir,—Some tinio ago you stated in your columns that Mr. A. L. D. .Fraser, M.P., had received a telegram signed by tho business people of AVyndham. I am pleased to stato that a certain tradesman of Wyndham wont round tho township asking people to sign a telegram, and the storekeepers refused to do so. The whole of the proceedings were a get up ''job." I had tho pleasure of addressiug a meeting at tho Town Hall, Gore, on September 23, and having visited Wyndham could speak from authority. I also had a good meeting at Wyndham last Monday night in the Oddfellows' Hall, and the body of the hall was filled with respectable and old residents; some of them coming fourteen mites. The hall was packed to excess, and orderly up to the time that I commenced reading tho character of a certain resident from the Police Commission report, dated August 31, 1887, page 370, dated 1S98; also making references to another person who was secretary to A. L. D. Fraser banquet, and his character. I also mentioned tho names of others to show that they were not in my district twenty-one years ago. A few hoodlums at the back of the hall became noisy. I kept tho hall until 10 p.m., tho crush was immense. Directly I locked tho doors of tho hall Constable Bango told me that some of tho larrikins were going to throw eggs when Mrs. Meikle and myself wont along a dark street to the stables. Stones wore thrown larger than eggs, and struck tho iron fence. One stono struck Mrs. Meikle on tho right sido of the neck, and another on tho right leg. Some papers in tho South have been publishing garbled reports that were got from the man in the streets. Every person present will admit that no reporter was present to take notes. I had a table and two chairs for tho reporters, but the reporters wero after the great man from Napier, on banquet bent. I quoted from depositions from 1887 down to commission dated January, 1907, to show that not only Lambert had committed perjury repeatedly, but others. I also quoted Beck's case in England, and Barber's, a London lawyer, along with many other cases, where men had been wrongfully convicted, and finished my speech with thanking

tlio Prime Minister and the members of 1 arliament for supporting the recommendation of tho Meikle Commission by carrying tlio Meikle Acquittal Bill by 37 votes to 17. Telegrams were sent to Wyndham from a gentleman holding a high position to Mr. so and so, stating that "A. L. D. Fraser will arrive some time on Monday, any little kindness you will show him will be treated as .a favour by myself," signed by —; —. No doubt, sir you will see at once this banquet business had a smell of Wellington about it, and Mr. Fraser had very good company, about 115 all told. 1 should like to see the names in print that attended tho banquet. It would show we have queer folk here. The standard of our public men must have fallen very much when Mr. Fraser, M.P., takes up the stand that ho has taken to block justice, and refuse to assist the Government he professes to support. Much better for - Mr. Fraser had he been frank and told that ho had a few high words with Meikle at Hastings. He knows too well what lie got Hansard No. 42, dated November 21, 1903, for. However, I have no clique or syndicate. He (Mr. Fraser) stated in Wyndham that ho knew Meikle was exploiting the Dominion, and that £33 was being paid to Meikle, and he was to return the sum of £400 ill lieu of £33. Sir, you have ft sworn declaration in your possession to show his statement is incorrect. His statements in the House and else.wliere arc entirely and utterly wrong. Trusting, Mr. Editor, you will insert' the above. —I am, etc., J; J. MEIKLE. Wellington, . October 1. J