» AO ( Ireland.)— Ninth REPORT OR THE COMMISSIONERS, & c. and delivery of the Mails, that have been fo long and fo loudly complained © f by the Public ; and unlefs fome fuch be eftablifhed, however the exertions of the prefent Poftmafters General may tend to excite a greater degree of zeal and vigilance throughout the department, it is greatly to be apprehended that it will refepfe into its former ( late of debility and relaxation. To impofe fuch a weight of refponfibility upon the Secretary, was certainly never intended by the original conftitution of the office; nor can that ftnct, minute and unremitting attention, which we conceive to be neceffary to its being adminiftered beneficially for the Public, be expected from thofe perfons who have been ufually appointed to prefide over it, their rank in the ftate, their habits, purfuits and occupations, being generally incompatible with the duties thus impofed upon them. From thefe considerations we recom- mend, that the Office of Poftmafter General fhould be in future veiled in three Commiffioners, two to conftitute a Board, and the fignature of two to be necefl'ary to the validity of any order ; that a daily attendance fhould be given by them at the General Pofl Office, for the purpofe of fuperin ten ding the general manage- ment of the Department, and of making themfelves fo acquainted with the whole of its details, as to be able to aft from their own views, imtead of being compelled, by the want of information and experience, to fubmit their judgment to the guid- ance of others. While this arrangement will, we truft, be conducive to the public advantage, by improving the adminift ration, and ( Economizing the expenditure of this department, we have the fatisfaction of thinking, that it need not occafion any additional charge to the expence of the Eftablifhment, as we fubmit that the prefent falary would furnifh ample means of remunerating the ferviccs of a Board conftituted as we recommend. While we were making up this Report, we were informed that frauds affecting the Poft Office Revenue to a confiderable amount had been committed by the Clerks of the Roads, in claiming the compenfation we have before ftated to have been granted to them in 1802; and we were furprized to find, that ( though the nature and extent of thefe frauds had been inveftigated by order of the Poftmafters General, pending our enquiries into the ftate of this department) inftead of being communicated to, they had been ftudioufly concealed from us, and that it was not even intended, as it would feem, to have communicated them to Government. A tranfa& ion fo extraordinary would naturally have excited our enquiries, but they became the more neceffary, when we found, that it was propofed to make up an Account between the Public and the Clerks of the Roads, on Principles mani- feftly erroneous, and which if difputed by the latter, might poffibly lead to an ex- pensive and fruitlefs litigation. Being unwiliing, however, that the examination of III. C. C7. THE Current Arrears of Excife, particularly referred to us by an Ad of the laft f. 2. ' Seifion, and in which we were then engaged, fhould be interrupted, and it appear- ing that no injury would accrue to the Public by the inveftigation of this fubjeft being delayed for a fhort time, we propofe to prefent its refult on fome future and not diftant day, in the form of a Supplement to this Report. J. S. ROCHFORT, ( L. s.) Office of Enquiry, FRED. GEALE, ( L. s.) Dominick Street, Dublin, ROBERT ALEXANDER, ( L. S.) aoth December 1809. CHA. STEWART HAUTHORNE, ( L. s.) JOHN HAMILTON. ( L. s,)