4o 8 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Richard Daly, Esq. 15183. Now, of the arable, what is the ratio of voters ?— If you divide that by 1,500, you will have only one voter to 150 acres. 17 July 1838. 15184. Is that English or Irish acres ?— Irish. 15185. The larger acres?— Yes; the number of acres taxed, according to the grand jury book, amounts to 155,932. 1 5186. Do you happen to know whether that taxation is upon any late valua- tion ? That is according to an old survey, which was taken, I believe, in the time of Sir William Petty, and is so imperfect, and gives rise to such an unequal assessment of property, that there is a general survey now in progress. 15187. How many 501 electors are there?— About 450. 15188. How many 20/. electors ?— About 320 ; that makes 7/ 0; and there are only 1,189 10/. electors, leaving a very small majority as to 10/. electors. 15189. So then, very near one- half of the entire electors of that county are fifties and twenties ?— Yes. 1 5190. Now, how do you divide the 10 /. electors between the two interests, the Liberal and the Conservative ?— If I were to take a sectarian view, which would be a very improper view, with regard to the electors, I have a statistical statement as to the number, taken from the general registration; there were at that period 5/ 5 Protestants and 754 Catholics. 15191. In that 1,189 10/. voters, have you included persons inhabiting towns ?— Yes, I have ; because there is no borough town in the King's County, which would make an alteration. 15192.. So that every town in the King's County contributes to the county electors ?— Yes, its quota. 15193. How many such towns are there?— At least 12 ; there is Tullamore, the shire- town. 15194. Do you know the population of Tullamore?— Yes. 15195. What is it?— About 7,000. 15196. That is the principal town in the county?— Yes ; Birr is equal, I be- lieve, in the number of its inhabitants ; that is in the county also, it belongs to Lord Rosse. Half of Portarlington is in King's County also, the other half is in Queen's County; it is a borough town. 15197. Then you do not include any of the inhabitants of Portarlington in that 1,189?— Certainly I do ; there are electors in the King's County side of Portarlington. 15198. Is not the King's County side within the boundaries of the borough? — There are some twenties and fifties holding property distinct from that in their occupation; but though they are twenties and fifties, they are electors of the borough by means of occupation, and electors of the county by means of possession. 15199. Could you make out the number of 10/. voters who reside in towns? — I could make it out, but I never turned my mind to the matter ; I could, in fact, give near the number ; I take it to be from 300 to 400 ; I think in the town of Tullamore alone there are nearly 50 electors. 15200. And these electors are registered upon the value of their houses, and the curtilage belonging to them in the town ?— Precisely so ; in fact, I am an elector by virtue of the house I occupy in the town of Tullamore. 15201. Then, if you deduct the electors residing in the towns, the result in the King's County will be, that the fifties and twenties are the majority of those remaining ?— I would not say so far as that, because some of those electors in town are fifties. 15202. Then they are very nearly equal?— I should suppose the difference, if any, is an evanescent one ; one of no great value or importance. 15203. Were you present at the sessions that Mr. Battersby attended?— 1 wras. 15204. At what session was that?— The session of April 1833, as well as I remember; the Birr sessions. 15205. Did he attend any other?— He attended in Philipstown, I believe. Only one claimant appeared; Mr. Scott Molloy, who was rejected, inasmuch as he had an insufficient stamp upon the rent charge. 15206. Do you know how many persons served notices for that Birr ses- sions?— One hundred and eleven ; I have the printed list. 15207. Of these 111 how many were admitted?— Only six appeared; 48 were admitted. 15208. What