• ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN, 319 do the work of a good one. I have an opportunity of knowing the different prices county of Dublin; I have employed them to work by of horses and cars in the the day, and if a horse is a bad one, it would not be employed at the same price, or would not be employed at all, in all probability. What was the rate of charge of factorage upon selling hay according to the old mode ?— I am not acquainted with it. What is the rate offactoruge upon the new mode ?— I cannot tell that. Then, whether there has been an increase or diminution in the rate of factorage ; you cannot tell?— I am inclined to think there is no difference; I fancy the charge is by the hundred weight. What is the charge made upon weighing hay, according to the present method ?- • At present it is a halfpenny per hundred weight, but when it was first established by Alderman Beresford it was only a farthing a hundred weight; it has been lately doubled, and this is one of the complaints that the citizens of Dublin have to make, which I wish to mention to the Committee ; the increase of this charge is one of the causes of the complaints of the citizens of Dublin, because the Lord Mayor, or the officers under the sanction of the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of Dublin, have exercised the power of increasing the charge. Alderman Beresford established but one weigh- house, and appointed but one weigh- master, and now there are either two or three; there is both an increase of the number of weigh- masters, and an increased price for weighing, and they exercise the authority to prevent any other person hold- ing any other market within the jurisdiction of the Lord Mayor, and therefore the farmers frequenting the Dublin market are obliged not only to sell in that market, but to submit to the price, whatever that may be, which they think proper to charge. There is a charge also for weighing the empty carts, and ascertaining the tare; that is also a half- penny per hundred weight; they also charge 2s. 6d. for branding the number on the side of the cart, this . practice has opened the way to the commission of a variety of frauds in the delivery of hay on the part of those farmers ; such of them as are not very correct, or very honest, can send in their carts when dry, with light wheels, and have them tared in that state, and then when they come to be delivering hay again upon the carts with those numbers, they can, if they think proper, put heavier wheels and axletrees to the carts, and heavier wood of every description, and when such is practised the buyer is defrauded of the difference. You stated the charge for weighing the tare is a halfpenny per hundred, do you mean to say that the car pays a halfpenny per hundred upon its own weight every time it goes into market?— Not unless they do not get the number branded upon the side ; if they get the weight branded on the side, they do not pay every time, but if they do not get it branded, they have to pay it every time. Is not the reason of that because unless the weight be branded it is necessary to have it weighed every time ; but if the person chooses to have the weight branded it is not necessary to weigh it each time ?— Yes. You state that they have increased the number of weigh- masters?— Yes. Do you conceive that any increased expense arises from the increased number of weigh- masters ?— Yes, I do ; when there was only one weigh- master there was only a farthing a hundred weight paid, and since that increase in the number of weigh- masters took place the increase of price has taken place. Does the increase in the number of weigh- masters naturally occasion an increase of expense to the citizens of Dublin, unless there is an increase in the rate of charge ? — Certainly not, if there is no increase of charge. Does any increase of machines for weighing impose any additional expense on the citizens of Dublin ?— I think if there was no additional charge of price the in- crease of machines could occasion no additional expense. Then in point of fact the increase of weigh- masters, and the increase of machines.,, if not attended with any increase of charge, was a superior convenience and facility to the citizens of Dublin?—- Assuredly. You have stated the increased rate of charge is one halfpenny per hundred weight? — The charge since the commencement of the present method of weighing hay has. been doubled ; it commenced at a farthing and has been increased to a halfpenny. What is the greatest number of hundreds that are usually carried upon each horse and cart?— I have had them from eight hundred to thirteen hundred. Thirteen hundred, then, is generally the maximum?— I- think it is as large as I recollect to have bought at any time. 549- 3 N Then Mr. Isaac Stewart. - J ( 30 May. j 81 J mi •