SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. > 2.5 7125. Mr. O'Connell] Are you speaking now of your recollection of Gilleesy's T. Courtenay, Esq. house, or from a general idea of that kind of house?— A general description of — that kind of house. 27 March 1838. 7126. Can you form any estimate of what such a house would let for by the year?— Irrespective of the land, I should think it might get perhaps from 205. to 3os. a year. 7127. Did you ever know such a house let for so low a rent as 20 s. to 30 s. a year?— I have heard of many instances of houses being let from 20s. to 40s. ; and 40s. as being the highest standard for that sort of house, irrespective of land. 7128. Chairman.'] In stating the rent of Gilleesy's holding to be about 18s. per acre for the eight and a half acres, do you include in that whatever the value of the house may be?— I do. 7129. Would the land have let for 18 s. an acre if there were no cottage upon it?— If I had it to let, I would expect only 12s. an acre. 7130. Does that include the cottage?— That includes every thing upon it. 7131. That includes all the advantages derived from the holding?— Yes, any advantage derivable from the cabin and offices, as well as from the land. V? ' 7132. Are you aware whether that is the way in which Mr. Sherrard prepared liis calculations; that is, did he prepare them with reference to every circumstance belonging to farm holdings, or did he prepare them simply with reference to the value of the land per acre?— He prepared them with reference to the value of every thing upon the holding ; and he was prepared to give the Committee an estimate of the value of the cabin, taken by itself. 7133. lie was prepared first of all to state his valuation of the entire holding, and he was then prepared to state the value of the land, and the different appur- tenances to the land ?— He was. 7134. Including the residence, whatever it might be?— Including the residence, w hatever it might be; and he was prepared to tell the Committee the first cost of building such cabins. 7135. Mr. Hogg.] What would be the cost of building such a miserable cabin as you describe ?— He has returned them to me from 5 /. to 10 /. and 20 I., and as as high as 30 I. for building. 7136. Was 30/. the highest?— I think 30/. was the highest for thatched cabins. 7137. What was the lowest ?—£. 4 or 5 /. 7138. Mr. O'Connell.] Do you mean a house of three rooms, containing a kitchen and a bed- room, and a small room off the kitchen ?— I mean the sort of cabin I have been speaking of, a kitchen with a small room off', built of mud, with one or two courses of stones, undrest, at the bottom, with some mud and straw thrown into it, and mixed and left for some days, and then built up by degrees, two or three courses at a time, till they come up to the roofing part of it. That sort of cabin can be got up for almost nothing. 7130. Do you know whether Michael Gilleesy built his own house?— I do not. 7140. What are Mr. Sherrard's politics ?— 1 rather think he is very quiet as to politics; but if I were to offer my opinion, I should say that he was more of a Conservative than anything else ; but he is very quiet upon the subject of politics. He has been employed by the Government. 7141. For many years ?— I do not know for many years, but I know he is employed by the present Government in valuing the land for tithes. Resides, it does not answer for him to be a politician. 7142. Who paid Mr. Sherrard for that survey?— We are to pay him. 7143. Who are " we "?— I am to pay him on the part of the committee. 7144. Who are the committee?-— The committee for the management of that petition. 7145. Whose money is it to be ?— Mr. Fox and Mr. Lefroy's money no doubt; some money that was subscribed in the county. 7146. Any money out of the county ?— No. 7147. You have not paid anything as yet?— Not as yet I have not paid him. 7148. Has he received any money as yet?— lie has received his travelling charges here and home, I believe. 7149. For the survey ?— His bill for the survey is not paid yet. 7150. Has he been paid anything for the survey or valuation ?— No. y ~ 7151. How