SECOND REPORT. THE SELECT COMMITTEE appointed to inquire into the LOCAL TAXATION of the City of DUBLIN, and to report their Opinion and Observations thereon, from time to time, to The House; and to whom the PETITIONS of the Inhabitants of several Parishes of the City of Dublin, complaining thereof, were referred;— HAVE, pursuant to the Order of The House, further examined the matters to them referred, and have agreed to the following REPORT: ' JpHE Subject referred to Your Committee, is in its nature so important, and so complicated, that it has produced the necessity of examining Witnesses at great length, and of calling for very volu- minous documentary Evidence. At the present late period of the Session, Your Committee are only prepared to report the Evidence taken before them, trusting early in the ensuing Session to be enabled to resume the consideration of the subject; having no doubt that they shall be able to submit to The House, such a final Report as may lead to results highly advantageous to the Public. 9 July 1823. MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. Lima, 28° die Apr His, 1823. THOMAS SPRING RICE, ESQUIRE, IN THE CHAIR. Mr. Richard Purdy, called in; and Examined. WHERE do you reside ?— In Dublin. „. , Jfr- . What is your business ?— I am a merchant. ^ llMl urJy.^ Are you a member of the Chamber of Commerce at Dublin ?—- I am. ( 2S Aprip, What situation do you hold in the Chamber of Commerce ?— I am one of the council of twenty- one. How long have you resided in Dublin ?— About twenty years, and have paid taxes ten years. Have you paid any attention to the local taxation of the city of Dublin?— I have paid a good deal of attention to it, since I was intrusted by the parish of St. Mary, for the purpose of inquiring into it. Have you turned your attention to that branch of the local taxes, which is levied under the authority of the grand juries ?— I have ; but other branches of the local taxation have had more attention from me. It having appeared, by returns laid before Parliament, that the grand jury taxes of the city of Dublin have very much increased, can you inform the Committee of any causes to which that increase may be attributed ?— A considerable part of the increase may be attributed to the Act of 1808, which extended the jurisdiction of the recorder to those parts of the city not within the ancient city of Dublin; and it may, in part, be attributed to large sums having been expended for the building and support of Richmond bridewell. 549- Under