4 / SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. 19 6845. Do you conceive it would be of advantage to the fair constituency to have T. Courtenay, Esc a cross appeal?— I do not think a cross appeal would remedy the present defect; ' I think there must be an annual revision of the registry. 23 March 1838 6846. Would you go over the qualifications of all again, or only purge the register of those that had lost their qualification ?— I do not think there would be any occasion to go over all the qualifications again, but I think it would be absolutely necessary to see what persons had parted with the possession of the whole or part of the premises out of which they register, or whether they retain any lease, or whether the lease has expired; for I am aware of persons having voted at elections in Longford under all those circumstances. GS47. Are you aware of persons having voted that have become insolvent after the registry ?— I am ; I think this is the greatest evil that exists with regard to the franchise in Ireland, and there is at present no way of checking it; an annual revision might check it. 6848. Do not you think a cross appeal would be also a good check against the admission of fictitious votes ?— As long as the present system goes on, I think it would be absolutely indispensible, for justice'sake, that there should be a cross appeal. 6849. Chairman.] You were understood to say that the revising barrister, Mr. Tighe, has placed upon the register persons contrary to the decision of a judge and jury ?— Yes, I gave an instance of that. 6850. Then what remedy have you with regard to that, even supposing a cross appeal were to be established ?— At present we have no remedy whatever for that. 6851. Mr. Lefroy.] Would there be any remedy but by an appeal to a Commit- tee of The House of Commons ?— No remedy. 6852. Chairman.] And that remedy is not available, unless the Committee open the register?— No; the power vested in the registering barrister in Ireland is supreme. 6853. The grand jury cess is levied upon a certain valuation ?— Upon a certain number of acres. 6854. Does it, in any way, depend upon the real value of the land?— No. 6855. Does it even ascertain the actual quantity of land within a certain applot- ment ?— It does with us ; a certain number of acres in what is called a " carton." 6856. Mr. O'Connell.] Is not that an estimated number?— I never heard the quantity of acres disputed by the cess- payers, as being incorrect ; and as latterly the cesses have been so much increased that they view it with a considerable degree of jealousy, in some cases, I think, if they had an opportunity of canvassing it, and had a grievance to complain of, they would. 6857. Has your attention ever been called to what is denominated the reduced takers in the Down survey?— No. 6858. Nor in the books of distribution ?— No. 6859. Chairman.'] But in no way can the county cess be made a criterion of the real value of the property ?— No. 6860. You have stated your opinion, that under the Irish Reform Act, as it now exists, there is no necessity for reregistering those individuals whose names appear on the register at this time; neither with regard to those names which were inserted upon the lists in 1832, nor with regard to those names which have been inserted upon the fists in any subsequent registration ?— That is my opinion ; that it is not necessary for a man to wait the expiration of eight years, but that they may begin now, and the county may be re- registered before the expiration of the eight years. 6861. Is it your opinion, that, supposing parties do not re- register up to the period of the eight years, they must all re- register then to enable them to vote thereafter?— I conceive that," unless they register in the meantime, they cannot vote after the expiration of eight years; but it is held that they need not appear under the section of the Reform Act, to which I have referred, and Mr. Tighe, the barrister, acts upon that at present; for he has re- registercd men upon the pro- duction of a certificate granted to them at the Reform registry ; they have sent in their certificates, and have taken out new ones. 6862. Mr. O'Connell Then they must have given notice ?— They did. _ 6863. Chairman.] Do you mean to state that he has admitted the claimant without anything but the bare certificate to re- register in that way ?— He has. 6864. That is to say, that without any investigation into any altered value of the land, or anv altered tenure, the simple production of the certificate has been sufficient to induce him to put the name upon the register ?— Yes, and he took a