118 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Mr. John Young. 27OO. Are you aware of the effect of the last Grand Jury Act ?- There crea't difference of opinion about it; it is only now m process of being tried. 8 " o Does not if supersede the local Act in some instances P- The Attorney i is a 22 February 1838. have all me 011 it. general, Serjeant Pennefather, Mr. Collins, and the Deputy Recorder, differed upon that Act; so that I think it hard to expect an opinion from Are not you rather apprehensive that it may bring your houses into value ?— I am rather apprehensive ; but I will try and avoid it if I can. _ ^ them in for taxes, perhaps you would like upon 2702. ^ 270?' If it " brought' them" in " for taxes, perhaps you would like to look different class of tenants ?- No; I do not think it would make the least difference in that ; I think I must have the same class of tenants; indeed, I dare say it may be more advantageous in the end; because I should be able to pay the taxes for them, and other poor people, that occupy similar houses, will not. Do you conceive that, if it brings you into taxation, you will be benefited 704. L> o you conceive by it?— I might. . 2705. Chairman.] Do you mean, by many persons paying, who now do not contribute at all?— I believe the reason that I was rated, and which weighed very much with the constables, was, that I was able to pay the taxes, and without any reference to the law at all. 2706. How do you anticipate an advantage, if the Act turns out contrary to what you expect it'to be ?— From the circumstance of all houses paying. 2707. And that therefore, though you individually might have to pay, who are now excused, yet that, upon the whole, your taxation might be lighter ?— Yes; the taxes that I cannot dispute at all, such as for the house I live in, would be reduced. 2708. Mr. Serjeant Jachson.] Then you conceive that you may possibly be benefited in two ways, if the Act receives the construction that has been now referred to; you think that you, being a solvent man, and able to pay the rates in respect of your own premises, persons would prefer coming to you and occupying apartments in your houses to going and taking from poor persons who could not pay the rates ?— Yes. 2709. And you likewise think that it will bring a much greater number of houses into the valuation, and thereby distribute the whole burthen of the town over a greater surface, and consequently a smaller portion will fall to the lot of each ?— Yes. 2710. Sir Robert Ferguson.] Then are you in favour of that construction of the new Grand Jury Act, to make those houses liable ?— No ; I would prefer remaining under the old Act. 2711. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] Is that upon the principle of a bird in the hand being worth two in the bush ?— Yes. 2712. Mr. Curry.] You were understood to say that you would not consider the circumstance of an individual not appearing upon the return of the grand jury, as conclusive evidence that that individual did'not occupy a house worth 10/. a year ?— I would, because the return of the constables has no reference to the valua- tion of the house. The valuators value the house without any reference to how it will be let, and that valuation is given to the constables, and they return it accord- ing to the manner in which the house is occupied. 2713. You were understood to say that the constables returned houses as < k poor" and " not rateable," without reference to anything else ?— Yes. 2714. Of course if they strike out houses of their own will out of the list returned to them, those houses will not appear in the treasurer's book ?— They are only not rated for one half year; they are always upon the treasurer's book ; the constable takes the book, and upon that book he makes a return, merely by writing in the margin, « poor" or " waste ;" the next half year he comes again, and perhaps that house is not poor, so that he leaves it open to pay. The valua- tion always remains on the treasurer's book, and any house that is not on the valuation book is certainly not of the value of 10 I 2715. Chairman ] With reference to all those cases in which it has been stated by you that the parties do not appear upon that book, those houses, whether occupied 1,1 one way or another, are not of the value of 5 /. in the opinion of the va uators.—\ es; the valuation and the return of the constables have nothing to do with one another. & 2716. And therefore the book is a criterion of the value i is not a criterion of payment ?— Exactly so. in all cases, though it