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 . 36, ' SLS 14319. Do you not perceive, that supposing for one moment the poor- rates G in Ireland to be twice the amount of the tithes, it will entail an immense bur- then upon every occupier?— Yes. 14320. And in addition to that you are aware that one- half of the poor- rates falls on the occupier in every instance where his rent is not higher than the value of the land ?— No, I am not aware of that. 14321. You said 2 s. or 3 s. would be the most the tenant would be rated at ?— I do not know what he would be rated at; I said I thought that 2 s or 3 s. would be the amount; whether that is right or wrong I do not in the least know. 14322. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] With reference to the improvement of the law, do you consider the office of assistant barrister to be a very important office in the administration of justice?— I think at present it is the most im- portant in Ireland. 14323. In fact that jurisdiction comes more in contact with the great mass of the people of Ireland than any other jurisdiction ?— Certainly. 14324. You consider it then of great importance to have men of high character in that situation ?— Certainly. 14325. You consider it then of great importance, I take for granted, that he should have as much of the confidence of the community among whom he administers the law as possible ?— Undoubtedly. 14326. Do you think that his being invested with the function of registering voters, and of deciding questions upon the elective franchise is calculated to endanger his popularity and usefulness in other respects ?— I think it is not only calculated to bring him into disrepute, but that it has destroyed all confidence in the administration of justice as administered by him. 14327. Of course there cannot be a greater calamity?— I think it a great evil. 14328. Do you conceive it almost impossible, circumstanced as Ireland is, for any man however upright or honourable, and however strict his integrity, to administer that branch of his functions and not lay himself open to attack and suspicion, which must have an effect injurious to his judicial character ?—• I think everybody however upright would be liable to suspicion, but my opinion is with regard to Ireland generally, that though persons interested would impute corrupt and bad motives to individuals administering justice, in the end an honest man would be done justice to in their opinions; I do not say at public meetings, but in the opinions of the public generally they do justice to an upright man. 14329. And let a man exercise that department of his duty regarding the register ever so well, in point of fact, do you think that would be any security to him from imputations on the one side or the other?— It would be a security, but I do not think he could calculate on being exempt from attack. 14330. Do you not think that casting imputations upon a man in that way is calculated to affect his usefulness ?— Certainly. 14331. Do you think it would be a great improvement, with regard to the present state of the law, if you were to divest a person holding a judicial office from that political duty ?-— I think it would. 14332. Suppose you could have persons of equal competence in point of legal knowledge and ability to be invested with that function, in that case do you think it would be a great improvement to take that duty from the assistant barrister, and devolve it upon that new functionary?— 1 think it would be a great object and advantage, with a view to relieve the assistant barristers from that imputation to which they are liable in the exercise of that particular function. 14333. Do you know, in point of fact, that very honourable and upright men have been exposed to very heavy imputations, probably undeservedly, in very many respects ?— I do. 14334. Do you think, in fact, it would be possible for a man altogether to escape?— As I said before, altogether to escape imputation I think would be impossible, but, as I also said, I think the public opinion would do him justice in the end. 14335. But in the meantime his judicial character must suffer r— Yes, he is clearly liable to imputations, and those imputations would clearly be thrown upon him. „ ^.. 643. zz 14330. Mr..