12 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE ji/ r< You were the only persons appointed by the committee?— As well as I can Richard Purdy. recollect. 1 ' You were the only persons who reported to the committee on the subject of the ( 30 April.) Richmond penitentiary ?— We were the only persons appointed so to do. When you went there, you found the bad potatoes heaped up in a corner, you took notice of them ?— We did. The deputy governor told you that they had been objected to by the prisoners ?— He did, upon my remarking that they were of very inferior quality. And that he was then supplying them himself, by purchasing at a very under rate?— At \ l. 135. 4d. per ton. Then the condemnation of the bad potatoes, and the purchase of the good pota- toes in their stead, took place previous to your visiting?— It did. Then it could not be in consequence of your suggestions?— Certainly not. When did the parishes first meet to inquire into those local abuses ?— On the 5th of September St. Mary's appointed a committee. Do you know when the potatoes were changed ?— I do not. Do you think it was subsequent to the 5th of September ?— I do not know posi- tively, but I think it must have been subsequent. Did you go through the prison ?— I did. Was it clean?— Very much so indeed. Did there seem to be good order there ?— Very good order. Was the classification as correct as the nature of the prison would allow?— It appeared to be so. Did the inmates appear to be regular and cleanly in their persons ?— They did. Did the prisoners that were able to work appear to be industriously employed ?— They did, generally speaking. ' Are you aware that there is a book for visitors to make their remarks?— I am. Did you make any remarks in that book ?— I may have done so, I do not recollect. Then, in point of fact, you thought the appearance, the regulation, the discipline and the cleanliness of the prison very good?— Unobjectionable In the beginning of your examination did you, or did you not say, that you had not, in the course of your investigation, found one single subject of praise to the grand jury?— I may have said so. Does this form an exception?— If it applies to the grand jury it does, but I give the credit of it to the governor and deputy governor. Who is the governor appointed by ?— By the grand jury, or commissioners of the prison. Who is the governor ?— Mr. Purdon ; he is son- in- law to Alderman Archer. - Who supplies the fund by which the prison is sustained and supported ; is it by grand jury presentments ?— It is partly by grand jury presentments and partly by their own labour, and I have perceived some advances made by government for implements for the prisons; I have found it extremely difficult to make any esti- mate as to the exact expense per diem. Did you call for the dietary ?— I rather think I did. Does it appear upon the face of that written dietary what is the expense of each prisoner per diem ?— I believe it does, as stated by the officers. You saw that dietary ?— I think I did. Then how conies it that you do not know what the expense per diem is?— I did not take any note of it. You went to investigate the expense ?— Idid. A table was shown to you containing the expense, and you took no notice of it ?— I took no notice of that, but I have no hesitation in saying, upon a comparison with other prisons, that the expense of supporting prisoners in Dublin, far exceeds the expense in other prisons; I do not mean as to food alone, but food and clothing and all the expenses together; I have estimated the expense in the bridewell at the rate of 361, for each prisoner per annum. Do you mean to say, that the expense of each person, upon your investigation in the penitentiary, was 36/. a year including every thing?— Including a proportion of salaries to officers, and incidents altogether. Will you state to the Committee, on what principle you came to the calculation of each person costing 36/. a year?— The expense of the Richmond bridewell is estimated at about 5,500/. half- yearly, according to the presentment sheets; taking irom that 1,000/. which is for repayment to government, on account of the expenditure