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No. 16. —Petition of Andrew Phelan, of Westport. Petitioner prays for an inquiry into the cause of his dismissal from the Police Force. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. Hth September, 1905.

No. 168. —Petition of Richard Madden, of Auckland. Petitioner praj's for compensation for military services. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 26th September, 1905.

No. 402.—Petition of J. J. Meikle, of Wellington (No. 1). Petitioner prays to be heard at the bar of the House of Representatives. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 26th September, 1905.

No. 405. —Petition of J. J. Meikle, of Wellington. Petitioner jjrays (1) that his name may be removed from the prison records of the colony; (2) for an inquiry into the matter of an alleged forged document used before the M to Z Petitions Committee in 1897; (3) for compensation for loss in business and false imprisonment. John James Meikle was accused and convicted in December, 1887, for sheep-stealing, and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. He was released after five years, having received a remission of two years for good conduct while in gaol. After his release he prosecuted one William Lambert for wilful perjury in connection with his (Meikle's) trial and conviction, and Lambert was found guilty and sentenced to four years' imprisonment in June, 18D15. In the latter part of 1895 J. J. Meikle petitioned Parliament for compensation and removal of his name from the prison records, and the Committee to which the petition was referred reported as follows: "The Committee are of opinion that, after eliminating Lambert's evidence, who has since been convicted, and is now serving a sentence for perjury, there was not sufficient evidence adduced at the petitioner's trial to warrant the conviction on the charge preferred against him. The Committee are also of opinion that the request of petitioner to have his name removed from the prison records of the colony merits the serious consideration of the Crown." The Government in November, 1895, paid Meikle the sum of £294 16s. Id., and on payment of the final instalment Meikle gave the following receipt in full satisfaction of all claims he had against the Government of the Colony of New Zealand for law-costs and witnesses' expenses in connection with his case against William Lambert for perjury:-— " I have this day received from J. W. Poynton, Stipendiary Magistrate, Invercargill, the sum of eighty-three pounds and threepence (£B3 os. 3d.) in full satisfaction of all claims by me or any person claiming by, under, or through me against the Government of the Colony of New Zealand, for law-costs in the cases against William Lambert for perjury in the Magistrate's and Supreme Courts. " Dated at Invercargill, this 29th day of November, 1895. " John James Meikle. " Witness to the signature of J. J. Meikle —H. Dixon, S.M. Court, Invercargill." He also made the following declaration that no other person or persons had any claim as witnesses: — " I, John James Meikle, of Wyndham, Southland, Otago, New Zealand, farmer, do solemnly and sincerely declare that —(1.) I was the prosecutor in the case against William Lambert, who was convicted of perjury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment at the last sittings of the Supreme Court at Invercargill, in the month of June last. (2.) The statement hereto attached and marked A contains the names and particulars of certain witnesses who gave evidence against the said William Lambert, either at the said Supreme Court sittings, or on other occasions gave evidence, or were in attendance so to do, when the said case was before the law-courts of the colony. (3.) The said witnesses were by me paid all expenses of attendance at the said trial and hearings of the said case in the Courts of law at other times, and have not now, nor has any person on behalf of any of them, any claim whatever against me for expenses for attendance thereat. (4.) The witnesses whose names and particulars are given in the statement marked B hereto attached have authorised me to receive on their behalf the amounts payable to them for expenses as witnesses during the said trial, or at otTier times in connection with the said case. (5.) No other person, save and except those in the said statement B described, has now any claim to receive from, me any sum for attendance as a witness at the said trial or when the said case was on other occasions before the law-courts. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand intituled ' The Justices of the Peace Act, 1882.' " John James Meikle. " Declared at Invercargill, in the Colony of New Zealand, this 19th day of November, 1895, before me — J. W. Poynton, Justice of the Peace."