14S MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE djl". Beresford and Mr. Welsh, at the sum mentioned in the rental of 300/. per annum, and upwards. In the same document ? r— In the same document. What do you infer from that; what additional charge is cast upon the house- holders of Dublin by reason of the agreement which you have stated to exist between the corporation and Alderman Beresford ?— If those tolls and customs, fairs and markets, the ferries, and the other profits and immunities that the corporation are entitled to, were applied as they should be, I conceive that the grand jury cess would altogether cease; that the profits and immunities, as they are particularly expressed in the charter, are given for the performance of certain duties, and it appears to me, that they take the monies and profits, although they neglect the duties. They do not apply the receipts to those purposes ?— By no means. Have you made any comparative estimate, as to the pressure of local taxation in the city of Dublin and in the city of London, and the mode in which they are respectively administered ?— The best estimate that I could possibly make compa- ratively between London and Dublin, is, that the local taxes in the city of Dublin amount, on an average, to about a pound a foot on the frontage of houses, generally speaking; the same local taxes in the city of London, appear to me to be not more than 10 s. a foot. Do you mean the average of the whole of Dublin ?— Yes. Do you go for instance, to such streets as Francis- street and James's- street?— Yes; I have not made very extensive inquiries in London, but such inquiries as I have made amount to what I have stated. Have you obtained a copy of the charter, granted to the city of Dublin, by James the Second ?— I have not an attested copy. Do you know whether the charter of the city of Dublin has been printed since the translation has been made ; you stated that the corporation paid 1501, for a transla- tion ?— So Mr. Nash told me. Do you know that the charter in that form has been printed or is in print?— Not that I have ever heard of; on the contrary, I have heard that it has been kept secret from the householders, Do your observations apply to the charter of James?— Yes. Then they do not apply to the other charters of the city of Dublin?— I consider that Dr. Lucas's publication is a partial one. Is it not a publication of the charters of the city of Dublin ?— It is a partial one. In what respect?— Because it has not published all. What has it omitted?— It has omitted the charter of James, and I believe others. Is the Committee to understand from you, that you consider the charters of the city of Dublin have been intentionally kept secret from the public ?— I do. Is the Committee to understand that the charters of the city of London are fairly and liberally open to public inspection ?— They are. And that the charters of the citv of Dublin are studiously kept out of view ?— Clearly so; as a proof of the publicity of the charter of the city of London, Mr. Woodthorpe handed me the charters of London in a moment. Did you ever apply to any of the corporate authorities of Dublin for access to the charters ?— I did. What answer did you get?— A vague indefinite answer: I applied to Mr. John Allen the town clerk. Do you not believe, that the very charter which you conceive to be improperly concealed, is accessible to every body at the Rolls office ?— I will explain the way in which it is accessible at the Rolls office ; the corporation gave the late Mr. Nash i.-, o/. tor translating it; I do not know whether it is in Norman or old Latin, but on referring to the book in the Rolls office, 1 find it is in Roman, and in fact it is very expensive to get copies of this charter for individuals, for I understand, that officePy C0St20A out of the Rolls office, and also in the Auditor- general's When you say that it is not accessible to the citizens at large, you mean that it is omv accessible 111 that way ?- Only in that way C£ T y° U t0 m- ake y° ur aPP » ication to Mr. John Allen?— As the town W Z au t0 fCerta, n Whether this was ^ e charter or not. Where rfw ac, ted for many years a* town clerk bel'eve he has. here dtd y° u aPP* y to him, at what place ?— At his own house. Did