N- 37& 381 o, F E E S , G R A T U I T I E S , & c . - ( AuCtion Duty, & c.) 79 No. 37. The Examination of WM. B. SWAN, Esq; taken on Oath, the ioch of December 1807. This Examinant saith, That he is Inspector - General of Excife and Licences of Ireland ; that fince the transferring of the iffue of Licences for the fale of fpirituous and other liquors from the Collectors of Excife to the Stamp- Office, the different Officers of Excife have in many inftances difcontinued their attention to that branch of the Revenue, and he conceives that a material lofs to the Revenue has been incurred thereby. He is of opinion, that a ufeful check to the praCtice of retailing fpirituous and other liquors without Licence might be eftablifhed, by requiring the Officers of Excife of the dif- ferent walks, to make a monthly Return to the ColleCtor, and to the Board of Excife, of the perfons who have taken out Licences, or are fubjeCt to a Licence Duty, within their walks. Wm B. Swan. J. S. Rochfort, Fredk Geale, Robert Alexander, Charles Saxton. No. 38. The Examination of Mr. THOs NUTTALL ; taken on Oath, the 4th and 23d of December 1807. This Examinant faith, That he is Affay Mafter: was firft appointed in the year 1776, was re- appointed bv the Corporation of Goldfmirhs in the prefent year, and sworn before a Commif- fioner of Excife, to the faithful execution of the duties of that office. He assays all the Gold and Silver which is brought to the Office for that purpose, receives the Duty thereon, and pays it over every week to the ColleCtor of Excise for the DistriCt of the citv of Dublin. Llis accounts for many years past have not been subjeCt to any examination; they have lately been called for by the Commissioners of Accounts, end laid before them up to the 10th OCtober 1804. He has never heard of any exertions made by any fxcife Officers to feize Plate not duly stamped. Examinant is of opinion, that the Duty is not paid on more than two- thirds of the Wrought Plate manufactured in Ireland. Befides the Duty, a sum of id. an ounce, called a touch- penny, is paid by Manufacturers, one- half of which, by the rules of the Corpo- ration, is paid to them, and the remainder to the Assay Master. Before the late Aft regulating tne Duties on Gold and Silver Plate, Examinant exercised a discretion in making the allowance for lofs of weight in the finishing, but that ACt has limited the' allowance to one- fixth. Bv th. fame Act, an allowance of 5- per- cent. out of the Duties collected, to defray the expence of the affay, is aligned to the Corporation of Goldfmiths. Examinant is made dependant for his falary upon therm in lieu of receiving, as formerly, a fum of £. 40 under 2 Geo. Hi. and an additional £. 10. per annum from Government for the lupply of coals, candles, and ftationary to his Office. Tho. Nuttall. J. S. Rochfort, Fred Geale, Robert Alexander.