kio' ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUELIN. 73 Or six tons only in a year, and I think the amount in the three years did not exceed Ret. fifteen tons; I am quite positive it did not amount to seventeen tons, in the three Gamble. years; and the whole quantity purchased by me in that time was 450 tons. x n, Do you know what quantity of potatoes you purchased altogether in a year ?— I think, about three tons in a week ; 150 tons in a year. Then you purchased 450 tons in three years, and out of that you bought from fifteen to eighteen tons from your mother- in- law ?— I did ; I can speak decidedly to that quantity, and the reason why I speak so decidedly is, the recollection that I have of the arrangements of my mother- in- law's small farm of fourteen acres. Was an entry of the payment made in your books ?— Always. Did not more public money formerly pass through your hands, than passes now?— Much more. ' Was it not at your own suggestion that less public money passes through your hands now, than formerly ?— It originated with myself. Did not that arise from your own feeling, that you did not wish to have the control or management of the public money ?— I told the fact to the secretary of the grand jury, and conferred with him on the subject, and therefore, by his kindness, I was relieved from the disbursement of public money, and it M as a very great inconvenience to me, at all times, to have charge of it; I could state and show that it would be a serious inconvenience to any one to have it. Has not the court of King's Bench, since your declining to have the manage- ment of the public money, requested you to undertake it again, for the purpose of expediting the mode of payment?— In one instance they did, but not for expediting the mode of payment, but for the purpose of saving. Did you decline?— I ( lid. Did your declining arise from the same motive ?— It did, decidedly. What is understood by the petty expenses which you are in the habit of paying?— They are enumerated under the head of lime for Newgate, brooms for Newgate, washing for the hospitals of the different prisons, and in case of the prisoners dying, for their burial fees, a coffin, and other little petty charges that might occur. © # # Did you account for all those petty expenses, in the same minute and circum- stantial manner, in which you accounted for the expenditure of money for the supply of necessaries?— I did; indeed I should do it; I have never had 100/. public money in my hands for five hours, it has been always due before it has been paid to me. It appears on the face of the presentments, that large sums of money have been voted to the protestant dissenting minister, and to other persons ; for what purpose were those sums presented?— Those were the sums that used to go through my hands subsequently, first however, going to him, because the Act of Parliament directed that the inspector, or a grand juror should not have the management of the money, then when they could not get contracts, they used to present to a third individual, thereby bringing it to me that I might expend it. You were the responsible individual ?— I was. Do you not think the Act of Parliament was defective in that respect ?— I do, decidedly. If any balance should remain in your hands, would not that balance appear upon the query book of the next term?— Certainly. Is there any mode which you can suggest for the purpose of economizing ?— Yes, I think there is. Will you be so good as to suggest it?— I think if there was a power given of buy- ing articles for the city of Dublin, under the grand jury cess, for ready money, it would save twenty per cent; I shall state my reason for that; with respect to one item, the article of clothes which are purchased at 195. 6d. from the contractor, • Tiow I have purchased the same articles for ready money for 15 s. 3 d. of which I can show the documents to the Committee; it is to be recollected that the grand jury payments are from six to eight months credit. Are you not aware that the 53d section of the 50th of Geo. the 3d. c. 103, au- thorizes the grand jury to make such presentments in advance to any person ?— I am ; and those presentments of public money are said to be in advance, though in point of fact, they are not in advance; for instance, at an Easter term if the grand jury presented to me as they formerly did a sum of 500/. that sum would be said to be raised in advance ; that presentment has to go through all the forms ; it 549. has