PERSISTENT EFFORTS

Evening Star, Issue 22817, 27 November 1937, Page 1

PERSISTENT EFFORTS

CLAIM FCR COMPENSATION PETITIONER'S DEATH RECALLS CASE For a period of 40 years the name of Mr John James Meikle, whose death; at North-east Valley was reported, on Thursday, persistently came before Parliament. Mr Meikle, who had reached the age of 93 years, was convicted at Invercargill in 1887 on a charge of sheepstealing and was sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for a period of seven years. Upon his discharge ha commenced proceedings . for perjury, against a witness who had testified against him at his trial. The prosecution was successful, and the witness was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. Mr Meikle’s next action was to petition Parliament for compensation, and in 1897 a grant of £SOO was made to him. He subsequently made renewed claims on the ground that he had been advised on signing the document that' he was not debarred from seeking more substantial compensation. So persistently did he urge his claims upon Parliament that a commission consisting of two judges of the Supreme Court was appointed to report to the Government upon various aspects of the case.Mr Meikle, however, was still denied satisfaction of his demands, and at intervals since that time he had continued to present them by petition to succeeding Governments. The fact that he had placed his case before the Government now in power is evidence of the persistence with which he had sought satisfaction of claims which Parliament has as persistently refused to recognise. ■