THE MEIKLE GRANT

Evening Star, Issue 14529, 3 December 1910, Page 6

THE MEIKLE GRANT

£5,000 ASKED ; £2,500 VOTED. I Fno.M Onn Pauliamkxtaky Rki-orti’.u.] WELLINGTON, ’December 5. The. Supplementary Estimates once more provided £5.000 by way of compensation to J. J. Meikle. formerly of Wyndham, in full and final payment for his wrongful imprisonment. .Ur Anderson (Mataura) moved a. ieduction of tho vote by £l, as a mark of disapproval of it. Sir J. ft. Ward acknowledged that (ho Government wore no* agreed about the vote, but in. view of the. .Royal (Amnia--cions report there was a necessity of doing something for Meikle. by way of solatium. In any country in the world there vamld be a substantial acknowledgment <>i such a, wrong.—(“No!") 1 hat was his (the Prime .Ministers) neiiel. the Cabinet had never been imanniKms. mi the matte r, but the Government had a dear dntv in face of (he report of two Jiid.ar.. -I he matter should bo settled once and tor ail. Mr Fisher strongly maimaiiiwl Meikle s innocence. lie should be Lilly recompensed for his wrong (onviciion. Mr Lang contended (I at the re<-om-m(nidation of the two Pu die Petitions Committees should lie endorsed by (lie House. Mr Anderson sail (ho responsibility rested with Dm Domna H the Home chose In give Meikle £o.OJO it would be sot rv for it

Mr Tiivlur wild that it the House he lievrd .Meikle innocent lie should ho fully compensated. Such a unique case was not. likely to recur in lilty years. J !u‘ methods Meikle adopted were just such a; a man who had .'-ii'f'Ted like him would choose.

Mr Wright, believing Meikle an iiino cent man. intended to suppoil. (he rote.

Mr Malcolm had not seen tit to change Hie opinion Im expi'cs-md in J503. Neither the Justice Department nor the Judge wiio [■. resided at the trial had acted unfairly: therefore it would he a daugeious price dent til e.-duhli.-h liability on the Dominion for a mi-taken verdict, if such H w w. Mr Davev, while believing Mend© was innocent, wanted to know if Meikle had received assistance from a syndicate. Could anyone answer truthfully that, the lion’s share of the grant was not to go into (lie pockets of Those who had financed Meikle. and who would make profit, over his misforl unes

Air Anderson warned lb; Honw aernn-t passing I lies vof-> and establishing a wooden t under which ovory person impro;i-riy convicted must receive compensation. Why not. oomponsal- others in ''.hose cams (hero was good reason lr. belive there ha I been a. miscarriage of jns'i-c; r l”nc Mouse was entitled to Know if Aleikle would re reive every penny of any money vdid.

Air (mire, while supporting tic vote, urged find, the money should lie il;v-c:;, :! in Oove.rnmcTit bonds. That would be fair, square, and equitable, and would preserve justice, if the annual intercfl cn such investments w-v.- banded jo Abide. Air AHLarcn disclcim-'I env cymb aiing about the assi ■■( mg of Abik l o Air I’iiiek considered Hint the votshould he red nc-vl. The compensation proposed was much too high. Ji- approved the pioposa! to provi<le an ainimiy. Air Amlerson’s motion went to a. division. and was lost by 23 to 15, the voting being : Ayes (for reduction. 15'.--Anderson, Clark. Dillon. T. V. Dim.an. Field. Fraser. Outline. Hopy. Alalcolm. Newman. IVucv, Rocs Reott. RniTh. STallworihv, Noes (28).- -Al!-n, Dn-hnwm,, Tbiddc. Buick. Carroll, Cnvirpe, Ell, Fisii-r, Guinness, HeiTies. Hogan. Jennings. Lang. Latmmson. Lowry, Luke, APDomiM. M ■Laron, Mas-.-ey, Millar. Noswurthy, Phillips. Reed. Steward. E. 11. Taylor, T. E.* 'Taylor, \Var<l, Wright. Mr Anderson thm moved lo reduce the vote lo £4,£oo.—Negatived by 20 lo 17. Mr Luke moved that the £5.000 be invested in the Government Life Department as an annuity, hut the Chairman ruled this out of order. Mr Noswort.hy moved lo reduce the vole to £2,5C0. and (his time the effort, was attended by success. Appended is (he division list ;--- Ayes (26b—Allen. Peuchanan, Hunk, Clark, (Taigie, Dillon, T. Ah Duncan, Field, Forbes, Fraser, Gut brie, Hail. Hardy, Hogan, 0. AJackerudo, Ma.ss-y, Newman, No.wvonhy. Pearce, Phiilipps. Reed, Rons, .Scott, Smith, Stallworthy, Steward, 'lf. K. Taylor. Noes (18). —Duddo, CarroJJ, EJI, Fisher, Guinness, Merries, Hogan, Jennings, Lang. Laurcnson, Lawry, Luke, Al.’Donald. M'Lareu, Millar, H. H. Taylor, Waul, Wright. Air Ahdcolm refrained from voting, because ho disapproval of the principle of recognition of Mciklo whiio otlier claims were disregarded.

As a final protest against the Meiklo grant. Mr Anderson and Mr Malcolm moved a reduction of the total vote by £A. Both had abstained from voting on Mr Nonworthv’s amendment, became of tho vicious principle involved,—Negatived on the voices. Mr Hogan moved to reduce tho tola! vole by £l, as indicating lito need of setting up a committee of criminal appeal or introducing legislation to meet caper, like that of Olaf Hughes. Mr Wilford said he honestly believed that Hughes was as innocent as any man could be. —The motion was carried" unanimously.