No « . 55, 55,57.] ON FEES, GRATUITIES, & c.-( Excife.) No. 55. The Examination of Mr. GUY GORDON; taken on Oath, the 14th Day of. February 1807. 1 This Examinant faith, He is a Surveyor of Excife; he was employed under Mr. Swan, the Infpeftor Gene^ ral, during the laft Winter and Summer, in the Suppreffion of private Stills. He has now a Party placed under his own Direction in the North of Ireland, for the fame Purpofe. He thinks there has been a great Increafe of unlicenfed Diftillation fince the laft Summer Affizes, in confequence of the Difinclination of Juries to find for the Crown. He thinks the unlicenfed Diftillers draw their Spirits moftly from fmuggled Malt. It often happens that the unlicenfed Diflillers are fituate near the Borders of two Parishes, in order that, 011 the Approach of an Officer, the Stills maybe carried into the Pa> iih adjoining to that in which they were ufed, and the Penalty be thereby avoided. He thinks that the moft efieftual Means of obviating this Pra& ice would be, to fubjeft the Parifh where a Still, Head, Worm, or any Utenfil, or Materials forDiftiU lation, are found, to the Penalty which now attaches only on the finding of a Still. He thinks it would be attended with good Eifeft, if the Conftables were permitted to fhare the Penalty with the Revenue Officers, and, like them, made competent Wit' neffes to prove the Informations againft Parifhes. Guy G. Gordon. y. S. Rochfort. Fred' Geale. Robert Alexander. Cha' Sax ton. No. 56. Copy of the Report made to the Board of Excife, relative to Penalties on Townlands where private Stills were feized. Honourable Sirs, From the Unpopularity of Proceedings againft the Inhabitants of Townlands, for the Penalty in refpect of private Stills, every possible Objection is entertained, as I before reorefented to your Honours. Mr. Ormsby, your Counsel, has in Contemplation to prepare Claufes that will remove thefe Difficulties; and in the mean Time it appears to me, to be advifable that Proceedings for thefe Penalties should be suspended. R. C. Carr. 4th Novr 1802. No. 57, The Examination of Mr. JAMES STOYTE; taken on Oath, the Sixth and Ninth Days of February 1807. f V This Examinant faith, He is Firft Clerk of the Minutes in the Office or the Secretary to the Commif- fioners of Excife; that it is his Duty, and the Duty of the Second Clerk of that Office, alternately, to examine the Certificates of the Seizure of Stills Heads, and Worms, tvhich are returned to the Board, quarterly ; and to ascertain the Correctness of the Claims made under them for Bounties or Rewards on account of such Seizures When that Account is made out, and the Initials of himself and the Second Clerk