12 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE Were both in their respective situations of treasurer and secretary at the time f R^ Gamble. when they so served?- I do not know, but I should think so. . j Tf thev were did not those gentlemen summon grand jurors to pass their own accounts'— By inference I should of course think so; I believe the sheriff and the sub- sheriff have the making out of the panels. Did William White and George Archer serve the office of sub- sheriff\ es, I recollect they did. Are they partners, and under what firm?— I believe they are partners; attorneys, under the firm of White and Archer, or Archer and White, I am not certain which. Can you state the respective years the secretary served the office of sub- sheriff? CanTou state whether it was not from the 29th of September 1819, to the same date in 1S20?— I declare, I cannot; because I have nothing to say to the sub- sheriff, his is an office I have not been in ten times in my life. Do'you give the same answer as to Mr. Archer?— I have nothing to do with the sub- sheriff at all. . . ... Are you aware, that any grand juror, mspector, chaplain, physician, surgeon, or apothecary, becomes liable to a fine of five hundred pounds, if he participates in the profits of any contracts?— I am aware that such is the law. Do you conceive that any grand juror would, for the profits arising from such contracts as are made by the grand juries, be likely to expose himself to such a fine ?— I should think not. Have you ever known a prosecution under that law ?— I have not; but I have known the circumstance that a grand jury has gone into court and sworn that he had nothing to say to a contract, when it has been publicly said that he had an in- terest in it. Have you any suggestions to offer in relation to the possible improvement of the Dublin prisons?— 1 have, both as to the improvement of the prisons, and as to some regulations relative to the grand jury cess. Will you have the goodness to state them ?— I should propose that yearly con- tracts should be made in place of half yearly contracts for all articles of diet. Do you conceive there is any objection to making yearly contracts under the law as it now stands?— I have asked grand juries, and they do not feel themselves authorized to make yearly contracts; that would be for the sake of the contractors in food, as well as for the sake of preventing the accounts from being confused : if a man contracts for milk and gets the summer half year and gets in a store of cattle, if he loses the contract for the winter half year, he is severely injured; a man must make up his accounts the first day of the term and send them in, the same man must supply to the last day of the term ; therefore, if that man loses the contract, there must be a small balance on the face of the account due to him; but though very small in any one instance, yet the frequent occurrence of it is troublesome. That inconvenience would exist if you had annual contracts, but it would exist only once a year instead of twice ?— Certainly; I would propose that the payments for all contracts should be by ready money, which would save twenty per cent.; I can give an instance of that in the clothes; this suit of clothes cost, under the grand jury, at nine month's credit, nineteen shillings. At what price could it be procured for ready money ?— Fifteen and three- pence, I procured it for the government at ready money; and I should propose that the salaries should be paid at least when due, because instances have occurred when 1 have not received my salary for four months or more, after it has been due. Is it the general opinion with regard to salaries, that they are held liable to traverse, if the officer m. sconducts himself?— Decidedly; if the officer misconducts himself any complaint which is made to the court of King's Bench, would be followed by a suspension of the salary. Have you ever known a salary traversed in the court below, and tried by a petit and alT ^^' " aU the Presentments opposed, including salaries Have you ever known any representation made of the misconduct of officers iir 1° tie1COm't; } woul( J. suSbest that the Act of Parliament relating to ^ S^ ctly complied with in all cases of prisoners tried and Con- victed that the clothing should be of a coarse and cheap qualitv, to be approved of by three magistrates of the head office of police: I would alo propose that PM ocrcted'should set 011 thc pdso » dress> Is