S E L E C T C O M M I T T E E ON F I C T I T I O U S V O T E S , I R E L A N D . 175 / 10820. Was the examination principally upon the subject of value?— Upon Mr. the subject of value generally. 10821. From the opportunities you had of forming an opinion, and from 22 your own observations, having attended the registry, do you think that any fictitious votes, or any considerable number of fictitious votes, could have been placed upon the registry at the period of 1832 on the part of the Liberal side ? — I think not. 10822. The opposition given to persons coming to claim upon the Conser- vative side was not so general ?— No, it was not. 10823- Rut were objections taken to persons coming up to vote upon the Conservative interest ?— Yes. 10824. And the same mode of proceeding as to examining the claimants was resorted to ?— Generally speaking it was ; there were counsel and agents em- ployed on both sides. 10825. Have you attended any of the elections for the county of Longford that have been held since the passing of the Reform Bill ?— Yes, every election since. I was obliged to attend two of them in the capacity of sub- sheriff. 10826. At any of those elections, and if so, state particularly, when do you knowT of any persons having voted whose qualification had ceased ?— Yes, I know a man of the name of Michael Conboy, of Killinanika; he voted at the election in January 1835 ; he also voted at the last election in 1837 ; I think he voted in 1836. 10827. In what capacity did he vote?— As a 10 I. freeholder. He voted out of lands in the neighbourhood of Rusky. 10828. When he voted in 1835 had his qualification ceased?— Yes, before that. I think before 1832 it had ceased, though he had got out a certificate in 1832 ; it depended upon the life of his father, who died; he was put out of posses- sion, and he got his house and a small holding, an acre or so; he remained in possession of a portion, and he voted on his certificate. 10829. He obtained his certificate in 1832, and he voted upon the certificate after he had lost the possession of the farm out of which he had been registered, except the house and about an acre of ground ?— Yes. 10830. Do you know the fact of your own knowledge, that he had lost the possession of all the land except the house and about an acre before he voted in 1835 ?— I was in the habit as sheriff of levying custodium fines, and he and his father used to pay me the fines on the lands. I am not aware of the fact of his being out of possession further than this, that when I went there after he had lost the possession it was others that paid me. I heard in the neighbour- hood that he had been put out; further than that I do not know. 10831. Then your reason for concluding that he lost the possession was, that he and his father formerly paid the custodium rent to you out of this land, which was afterwards paid by other persons subsequently to 1832 ?— Yes. 10832. Did you go upon the same land to collect the custodium rent that you had gone to previously ?— Yes ; and since I have. 10833. Did you see him in possession of those lands from which you had formerly received the custodiuni rent when you went there ?— No. 10834. For what candidates did he vote in 1835?— For Lord Forbes and Mr. Lefroy in 1835, and in 183/ he voted for Mr. Fox and Mr. Lefroy. 10835. Do you know a person of the name of Peter M'Laughlin, of Cre- loughter r— Yes. 10836. Did he vote at the election of August 1837 ?— Lie did. 10837. For whom?— For Mr. Fox and Mr. Lefroy. 10838. In what character did he vote ?— As a 10 1. freeholder. 10839. you know whether his qualification as a 10 I. freeholder continued to the time he voted in August 183/ ?— In June 01* July of the same year I took possession of his farm, out of which he qualified as a freeholder, under an habere. 10840. You did that in your capacity of sub- sheriff of the county of Long- ford ?— I did. 10841. To whom did you deliver the possession when you took if from M'Laughlin ?— To the under- agent upon the lands, a young man appointed by Mr. Courtenay ; Creloughter is the property of Lord Lorton, and I delivered pos- session to a person of the name of Kenney, who is under- agent for Lord Lorton, who does business for Mr. Courtenay and Mr. Lefroy. 643. A A 2 10842. What