THE COMMISSION IN WELLINGTON

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 29

THE COMMISSION IN WELLINGTON

WELLINGTON. May 14

At thr» Meikle Commission to day John D. RodclLnj. formerly of Goro. depo^-d that aftpr Meikle'«i convicfcion he had a conversation with Lambert, and witn«=s ask-ed if M^iklr> really -tole the sheep. Lambert =axl " if h<> <?ddn't be bad. before."

Counsel for suppliant asked if counsel for the Crown intended to present the witness Scott for examination.

Dr Findlay reoliod that Scott had boen spnt to gaol in 1887. and bis evud*»nre was of little valu<>. Coimeel added that ho beKev«d Scott wa-- about to fol'ow the jams rourv as \lfiklo and apply ta Parliament to bavo his conv.ctioi 1 for hor c/ss.tealinsr investigated with a view to proving his mnownrp.

Thoma* M. Macdonald Crown Pro^ornfeor at Tnvercaraill. detailed tbo <»videno-» given at the trial of Meikle. Witnoes had cross examined Templeton. Templeton was

called to prove a eon vei ration with Lambert, and witness showed that Templeton's statements about a conversation on 24th September rendered it high'y improbable that any conversation had taker place on the 24th Sept-ember. Lambert was not in the company's employ. Templeton's demeanour in the witness- box was not satisfactory. Regarding Harvey's evidence he sai-d it was simply to the effect that Lambert had been at MeikJe's hou:e the night before the police came, rhe inference being that he had had an opportunity of putting in skins. When Scott offered to give evidence he was in gaol. Witness sent Lambert and a clerk in his office to interview Scott as to what evidence he could give Scott was not called because the report was that he would support Lambert's testimony as to the taking of sheep on the night of the 17th, but he was not called because they considered lie would be manifestly animated by feeling against Meikle, which they thought wou'.d be undesirable. Cross-examined by Mr Atkinson : It was probably on the 17th that it was stated Scott would not give evidence. Scott had been convicted before. Witness was aware of the testimony he might give. He thought so. but would not swear positively. The evidence before the court was that Lambert had been employed by the company from the beginning of September. That was the effect of his information. Witness did not see Lambert before the indictment for sheep-stealing was drawn. It was drawn about a week before the trial. Lambsrt came to witness's office to gee him and Mr Denniston. He wished to examine. Lambert owing to his peculiar position. Alter Templeton had been cross-examined he toned " down and said he could not speak of what had taken place without his books as to fhe date.

Dr Findlay : Who discovered the entry in the diary on 26th October containing, the result of the muster of sheep on the pre-emptive right ?

Witness : It was in your room you Mere engagred in making notes, and I was looking through the diary. On turning over the leaves I came across this entry, and I made an exclamation and drew jcur attention to the entry, and you proceeded to examine it. No one had directed his attention to the entry in the diary. A telegram was read from Mr Stout (brother of the Chief Justice) denying Mrs M-eikle's statement that he would 6nd her £100 if letters were obtained frcm Troup. Application was made by Dr Findlay for a commission to have the evidence of Mr Cameron taken at Home. When Sutherland was recalled- in Duneiin he asserted that Cameron told him he rad laid a trap : that a trap was laid for Meikle. and that he took good care there was no one present, and that indeed the whole of the evidence he gave in the morning was true except in reference to placing skins on the land. Mr Cameron's friends felt, and he was instructed to urge this upon the commission, not only in the interests of Cameron, but in the interest of the whole matter, that if that statement remained uncontradicted -it might seriously affect Mr Cameron's reputation when tbe matter came to be discussed, as it probably would be. The delay would also enable Mr M'Nab' s evidence to be taken- Meikle denied that he expressly authorised Mr M'Nab to state to the Premier that be (Meikle) would accept £500 as a fair and final settlement of any claim he had against the colony. Mr M'Nab would be here probably at the end of next month or the beginning of July. and the delay necessary to take Cameron's evidence would onabla Mr M'Nab's evidence to be heard.

Mr Atkinson did not oppose the applications.

The question of the final addresses of counsel was considered, and the suggestion by Mr Justice Cooper that they should be written out and submitted to tho commission in that form was referred to counsel for consideration. Tlip commission then adjourned sine die.