155 ( Ireland.)— SIXTH REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS [ Appx. No. 22. The Examination of ANDREW GRAHAM, Efquire j taken on Oath, the 27th and 29th of May 1807. This Examinant faith, That he has been for near 20 years an InfpeCtor of Excife, and ftationed at Sligo; that in the beginning of May laft he was called up to Dublin, to attend the Orders of the Board of Excife, but has not fince been employed. In the Year 1793, he was prohibited by an Order from the Board from going on duty without fpecial di- rections. Previous to that Order, he was in the habit of making vifits to any part of the Kingdom, where he thought an InfpeCtion requifite ; fince the date of that Order, his duty has been confined to the DiftriCt of Sligo, where he has been in the habit of making occafional vifits without any fpecial Order. The Allowance for travelling charges was formerly 16 s. 3 d. a- day, but he has heard that it is now increafed to one Guinea. Since the year 1793, he has never received any allow- ance for travelling charges, except when he was fent out by fpecial Order of the Board. The occafional InfpeCtions he has made in the DiltriCt of Sligo, have enabled him to judge of the ConduCt of the Officers employed there. He is of opinion, that 3- 4- ths of the entries of dips in the Malt Stock books of that Dif- triCt were fictitious, and that the Officers making out the Charge for each wetting afcertained it from the Ciftern content. He did not feel himfelf called upon to report upon the ftate of any Officers books, unlefs where he was ordered to enquire into the conduCt of any particular Officer ; conceiving that the courfe of his duty required him only to enter the ftate of the houfe as found at his vifits. He has been principally employed in the fuppreffion of unlicenfed Malting, and unlicenfed Diftillation. He thinks that it would aid in the fuppreffion of unlicenfed Malting, if a penalty were to attach upon the Parilh in which unlicenfed Malt is found in procefs, in the fame manner as a penalty now attaches where an unlicenfed Still is found ; in which cafe he thinks it would be advifable to reduce the penalty on the finding of unlicenfed Stills, but to extend it alfo to velfels containing Wafh, Pot- Ale, or Singlings, and to let the whole penalty be given to the Officers. He is of opinion that the effeCt of thefe regulations would be promoted by facilitating the recovery, and accelerating the payment of the penalties. In the County of Sligo, where the Grand Jury Prefentments are made but once a- year, and where directions have been given that the penalties recovered for unlicenfed Diftillation fhould not be levied till all the other applotments have been collected, it frequently happens, that the penalty is not paid to the Officers for upwards of a year after the recovery. He has no knowledge of the fees received by the Officers in his DiftriCt, but underftands that it has been the praCtice of Maltfters to allow the Officer, in cafe of private wettings, the half of the Duty evaded. He has never himfelf, fince he was appointed an InfpeCtor, direCtly or indireCtly, received from a Trader any fee or emolument of any nature or kind whatfoever. This Examinant faith, that there is an Eftablifhment of Preventive Officers with parties, which are paid by the Revenue. He thinks they are attended with great expence, and are produ& ive of but little advantage, as in his DiftriCt he thinks unlicenfed Diftillation is gaining ground. And. Graham. J. S. Rochfort, Fred. Geale, Robert Alexander, Charles Saxton. No. 23. The Examination of Mr. RICHARD STAR ; taken on Oath, the 11th and 12th of May 1807. This Examinant faith, That he is a Surveyor of Excife, and at prefent in charge of Audeon's Survey, in the City of Dublin DiftriCt. For a part of the laft year, he was in charge of the - ~ • firft