kio' ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUELIN. 73 week, so that the prison is thoroughly whitewashed once in four or five weeks; parts of it are whitewashed every week : all the cells of the Richmond bridewell are whitewashed every morning. Can you give the Committee any information as to the mode adopted by the grand jury for supplying the prisoners with provisions and other articles by " con- tract?— The secretary of the grand jury advertises a month or three weeks previ- ously to the sitting of each term. Have you ever seen the advertisements in the paper?— Constantly. . Will you be so good as to put in one of those advertisements ? [ The witness delivered in the same, which is asfollows:] NOTICE: The ensuing Michaelmas grand jury for the city of Dublin, will receive proposals for supplying the respective gaols of Newgate, Sheriff's prison and Richmond bridewell, on the Circular road, with the following articles, until the last day of Easter term next; viz. soap, candles, bread, potatoes, meal and ox heads; herrings, salt, new milk and buttermilk, blankets and rugs, linen, clothes for convicts, lamp oil, lighting Sheriffs prison, lime, sand and freestone, buckets, tubs and brooms, brushes, mops, tins, straw, best Whitehaven coals, glazing, sundry foi ms, tables, trenchers, hammocks, and also for sundry repairs and white- washing to be executed in the gaols of Newgate and Sheriff's prison ; particulars of which may be known by application to the Rev. Piers Gamble, St. Michan's vestry, or Mr. Henry A. Baker, Architect, N° 112, Mecklenburgh- street. Proposals to be sent ( sealed) to Mr. Alexander Mongomery, 14 North Frede- rick- street, on or before Monday the 5th day of November next. Is that notice which you have put in, a copy of the general notice which is published on every occasion, when the grand jury wish for a contract?— I think they seldom deviate from that notice. Are such notices published before every term when contracts become necessary ?— Before the two presenting terms in each year. Have you ever known an instance when such a notice was omitted ?— Not within my memory. When the offers are sent in to the grand jury, to supply the prisoners by contract, is it within your knowledge to state whether the grand jury in any instances show a partiality in accepting those tenders?— I cannot state that I ever knew an instance of partiality being shown; the contracts come in sealed to the grand jury, and I believe their method of acting is, to appoint a particular day to open those contracts, when they open them and make a contract; all the other contracts are entered on the blotter of the grand jury, and finally transferred from that to the King's Bench book. Can you state whether the court is in the habit of asking for the different con- tracts sent in to the grand jury ?— I have seen them always handed up to the judge. For what purpose is that?— For the purpose of seeing that it is properly carried on. It is for the purpose of seeing that the lowest contract has been adopted by the grand jury ?— I should think so. When a contract has been made with any individual, or when any individual has supplied prisoners with articles by contract under you, is not that individual obliged to swear in open court to the justice of his charge?— A contract must be made with the grand jury, and then that individual must make, what is called an accounting affidavit, swearing that he has ( I believe the words are) " fairly and honestly sup- " plied the articles agreeably to this contract," before he gets his money. And that takes place in open court ?— In open court; he does not make the affi- davit in open court, his affidavit is shown to the court. Every tender that is made must come before the court ?— Every tender that is made goes from the grand jury to the court. How often are you obliged to visit the several prisons in the city of Dublin ?— I am obliged by law to visit them all twice a week, and oftener if necessary ; 1 visit Newgate, the sheriff's prison, and the city Marshalsea much oftener; Newgate four times at least in the week. Could you by any collusion with the contractors, enhance the value of your own situation ?— I think very little ; in the first place, the sum which goes to contractors, is a small sum; I do not think it is above 1,500 /. half yearly, and the checks which are made on the contracts are very numerous; when the articles contracted for are 549. U sent Rev. P. R. Gamble. K _ > ( 9 May.)