Mr../. C. Besnard. OF EVIDENCE TAKEN7 BEFORE THE not leave in the enjoyment of the > not fit to enjoy it ?— If their right believe that many of those persons would be found ite their names ,6 MINUTES il 7 February 1838. „ as properly investigated, I belie not to possess the 1' 01, franletase. t m r^ rlnt^ S^ w, those are the class of persons of which it is onlv temporary, no others can come in their places ; it is _ served to individuals. But from my knowledge of their situations m life, and their & . , 078 And in that respect you would raise 79^ Voiovould^' t allow it to stand at 40,?- No I would not If they were 10 /. householders, if the people had houses worth 10 . even with ground attached to it, they would be voters in that right and I think that a man that calls himself a 40 s. freeholder, and yet whose house and ground is really not worth 101, altogether, ought not to be a 40 freeholder; and, in tact, 1 do not think lie is; that the great body of the 40 5. freeholders, m my mind, have no pretension to the right at all: they really do not possess 40 s. m value over the rent. The reason I think so is, 1 know the mode in which they registered be- fore. They stand under peculiar circumstances as to their registration. Prior to the Reform Act, there was no investigation whatever; a 40 s. freeholder coming and making a certain affidavit, was permitted to register without any- body questioning him at all; his certificate of admission there was prima facie evidence, and almost all those persons registered in 1832, in the bustle of the first registration, and had their names then placed upon it; my own opinion is, that scarcely any of them really possessed 40 s. above the rent they pay. 280. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.'] Then their certificates obtained under the old system, were prwui facie evidence of their right under the Reform Bill ?— Yes. 281. Mr. Serjeant Ball.] But liable to be rebutted?— No doubt. 282. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] Your remedy then for those improper or fictitious votes that are now upon the register would be, not to lower the rate of qualifica- tion, but to take precaution for making the qualification that the law prescribes a bond fide substantial qualification ?— Precisely so. 283. Mr. Lucas.] From your general knowledge, are improper rejections or improper admissions most numerous at present ?— I have not attended the regis- tration sessions with a view at all to ascertain this point; but my own idea is, that it has been very carefully attended to since 1832. But I have not been above a moment together at any sessions since 1832. 284. Mr. O'Connell.] Who is the registering barrister?— Mr. Bartley. 285. What are the recognized rights of freedom in the city of Cork ?— The eldest born son of a freeman is entitled to be a freeman, and a person who has served a freeman for seven years. 286. There is n0 right by marriage ?— No. 287. The right by marriage has been claimed, but never established Never within any modern time. 288. How long have you been town- clerk?— I have been town- clerk since 1831 have been solicitor to the corporation since 1821. to eitL n/ r" jU+ dgm6nf: ° U » ll1t. tll1erc t0 beany P1,0P « ty qualification attached 0 have amowT ^ S^ T* - 5 1 ^ mUch if h would Ilot be J^ icious to nave a property qualification in addition to the rio- ht