THE MEIKLE CASE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9480, 7 November 1907, Page 8

THE MEIKLE CASE.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER

In the House of Representatives on Wednesday, , I The Premier, in referring' to , the Meikle Bill, said he could not make v his promised statement, until the .'next day. He. had, when speaking on the matter in question a day or so ago, overlooked the fact that the Chief' Justice^ had,been ' written to in August last regarding the '-proposed legislation, on the ( case. He, now read this "Jetter, because^'he desired an opportunity of, -conferring with \ the Chief Justice befqre deciding what course should "be. adopted.. The Chief ' Justice wrote' intimating that he had brought 'the matter before, the' Judges', ' who 'were i unanimously b'f the Opinion , that, . seeing that the questjdn of appeals in criminal cases was f being legisr lated upori ( ,in Great Britain, it would be wise to defer action until a full text of the English measure was received. ■ The Judges had, therefore',; suggested , that no legislation should be passed at present. He ([the Premier) simply " wjanted to say that the matter had •been referred to the Judges, as some' members had urged it should be done, in view of all the circumstances surrounding the case. He t desired to confer with the Chief Justice, and would .then make an announcement to the House. ' „. • . ,