SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. l9 Mr. J. C. Bernard. 347- You have said that that bye- law has been more than once under the con- sideration of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland?— It has. . 348. There have been applications made to set aside elections of mayor bv 7 February 1838. reason of that being an illegal bye- law ?— Yes. 349. Have you been concerned in those proceedings?— I have. 350- For whom ?— For the corporation. 35}- What has been the decision of the Court of King's Bench upon those occasions ?— It determined against the application. 352. And it upheld the bye- law ?— It did. 353- Mr. Lefroy.~\ Under any modification of the constitution of the corpora- tion, might not the very same thing take place that takes place now; might not any number of influential persons form a similar club, and have as great an influence upon the election of the officers of the corporation as they have now ? — They certainly might; and it might be fair to mention what was the original occasion of the institution of the Friendly Club, as we have it by tradition? A good many years ago, Lord Shannon's family was in the habit, in fact, of dic- tating officers, mayors, and sheriffs for Cork, and a number of independent citizens found fault, naturally, with this, and they formed a club for the purpose of overcoming that influence, and they effected it by means of their union. 354. Mr. O'Connell.] Are you aware that under the Municipal Bill for Ireland the election of the mayor is to be with the common council ?— Yes. 355. Then 110 friendly club, unless the candidate was elected by the common council of the wards, could influence the election of the mayor?— It would alter altogether the mode of the election. 356. Have you a common council in Cork ?— Yes. 3,57. Not elected by the citizens ?— The common council consists of the mayor, sheriffs, recorder, and such persons as have passed through the office of mayor, made up to the number of 26 by the addition of burgesses; persons that have passed the office of sheriff, but not yet been mayor, elected by the freemen at large. 358. What is the average number of past mayors ?— I suppose about a dozen. 359- 360. and 26 361. board, Is the recorder a member of the town council ?— He is. Is anybody else of right a member ?— The mayor, sheriff, and recorder, others. Is the common speaker a member ?— He is not; he has a seat at the but he is not a member. 362. Chairman.] Who is the common speaker?— The common speaker is an officer elected by the freemen at large, and supposed to look after their rights. 363. Mr. O'Connell.] Then the common council is constituted altogether, with the exception of the recorder, of persons who have been sheriffs ?— Past sheriffs. 364. Mr. Beamish.] The common speaker is supposed to represent the freemen at large in the council ?-— Yes. 365. How is lie elected ?— By the court of D'Oyer hundred. 366. Is there a nomination also for his appointment in the Friendly Club ?— Yes. 367. So that he is elected by the Friendly Club as much as the sheriff"?— He undergoes the same process. 368. Chairman.'] The mayor has a considerable salary, has he not .'— 1.1,200 a year. rather coveted than not ?- 369. And consequently that is an office which is Yes 370. The sheriffs have no salary or emolument whatever ?— The sheriffs have no salary or any emoluments, unless there be accidental fees upon the execution of duty; but they have little, if any, at present. 371. Have they onerous duties to perform?— They have. 372. Have they any expenses attached to the office ?- There are expenses 373. Is the object, therefore, of becoming sheriff, because they will subse- quently be mayor ?- Yes; I am sure it would be difficult to get persons to fill the office if it were not with the mayoralty m contemplation that no house except those that appear upon the valuator's list ' are wo^ i the yearly value of 5 /. ?—- I think there are houses worth 5 I. that do not appeal there a, 0.46. D 2 ^ 74" M^ Cm. rWitr reference to the value of houses, do you consider • J'" PJ ,1 1 i ova wni'tll t ar tl 5l. value, of