23 8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE TIIE you cannot nave mi mu- ^^ - o- I think that when a man registers, there should be some observation, or some mark attached to his name, signifying that he has registered twice or three times, to make it known that he has registered more than once. 6383 That there should be some way of denoting to the reader that that individual whose name appeared in a particular part was the same person whose name appeared in such and such other parts of the list?— I think so; there ought to be some easy clue to that. 6384. Chairman.] Are you at all acquainted with the proceedings at the English quarter sessions, in relation to matters touching the relief of the poor ? — f have taken a good deal of pains to read upon that subject; but I have never witnessed them. 6385. Do you know that it frequently happens that parties, when they are discontented with the decisions come to by the bench of magistrates at the quarter sessions, as to the settlement of a party, or any other point, demand of the bench, which demand the bench have a right either to assent to or dissent from, a special case for the opinion of the Court of Queen's Bench ?— I under- stand that to be the proceeding. 6386. And then the Court of Queen's Bench, when that case is drawn up, and sanctioned by the parties who have tried the case, decide upon the point of law therein involved ?— So I understand the process to be. 6387. Now, with regard to difficult questions of law connected with the registration of voters, might not such a proceeding, under the sanction of the revising barrister, be adopted with advantage ?— I think it would be a most advantageous arrangement. 6388. The question applies simply to points of law, not to any other?— I am aware of that. 6389. Would it not be more satisfactory to large classes whose right might be involved in decisions upon points of law, that such decisions should emanate from the Court of Queen's Bench in Dublin, and not be determined by any individual judge upon the circuit ?— I am certain of it; it would bring about an uniformity of decision in a short time, which is very much to be desired. 6390. Would it not be more likely to avoid the impression that political feelings are entertained, and regulate the decisions arrived at, than if those decisions emanate from one judge only ?— Decidedly. (> 391. By that course, the law would be the same in all the different parts of the country, as ruled by the supreme court and by the supreme authority of the law in Ireland ?— I think that would be the natural effect, and a very desirable one. 6392. And this you think might be advantageously superadded to the general appeal upon fact and law, united to which you have been referring to the going judge of assize ?— I think it might. c393- Mr. Serjeant Jackson^] As the law now stands in Ireland, may not a party who registers as a 50/. freeholder make his affidavit before the judges of the superior courts, either sitting in banco or presiding upon the circuit^ and then bring that affidavit to the quarter sessions to the assistant barrister, and require to be registered upon the production of that affidavit; and as the law stands, is he not entitled to do so without being subject to any question what- ever as to the value ?— That is the fact. 6394. Does not that enable persons, even those who might not possess the qualification of a 10/. leaseholder, who might have the hardihood to swear that they possessed a 50/. freehold, to get their names placed upon the register, not- withstanding that they had not the value of even 10/. ?— I think so. 6395 Chairman.] Have you any other observations that you wish to make to the Committee r I think the result of the changes of which I have spoken would be this, that an election in Ireland might, as in England, be concluded in two days; I mean one day for the nomination, and one day for polling. C396. Do you apply that observation to counties as well as to towns?— I do; and I thmk it would be a most desirable result; I think that the expense of the additional number of polling- places required would be much more than made up for by saving the expense attending five days polling. 6397. You