20 ( Ireland.) REPORT FROM COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS officer; that there is no doubt but there is a great deal of partiality in quartering of soldiers in the city j that the city rates were not equally apportioned upon the inhabitants before the late act; that he used to be constantly rated two guineas, when men in better circumstances were rated but a crown; that since the late Act he has been rated only half a guinea ; that he knew of several other persons who were rated too high, and mentioned some of their names, that he believed the said several persons were not favourites of the Corporation; that the streets have been very ill lighted for six or seven years past; that he pays 4d. a pack for woollen goods at the gates, and 2 d. a piece for boxes, though on the same horse ; that he pays 6 d. toll for each boat of turf. John Jones, Barrack- master of Limerick, being examined, said, He had been in the said office since the year one thousand seven hundred and forty- eight; that he knew that the Government always paid for the lodgings of officers who had not room in the barracks ; that he did not know that any soldiers had been taken out of the barracks and quartered in the town. Richard Pitt being examined, said, He was a distiller, and that he had both officers and soldiers quartered on him by the several mayors; that he never was paid any thing by any of the officers for quarters, except by two. Thomas Burke being examined, said, He followed no business except buying butter to sell again, that he has had officers quartered on him, that he was obliged to pay 36s. at 4s. 4d. a week for quartering a captain at a time when he had no room to put him in, that he offered him his own bed, but he refused it, that Mr. David Roche, the mayor, sent a serjeant to him, and ordered him to pay the money; that he complained to the mayor, but the mayor refused to redress him, and the officer was continued on him. Mr. Thomas Roche being examined, said, He kept a cloth- shop, and that he had officers and soldiers quartered on him for several years past by the different mayors; that the officers and soldiers were quartered very unfairly, for that many of his neigh- bours who kept shops had none quartered on them; that the last season in the mayoralty of Arthur Roche he had two serjeants of Sir Ralph Gore's regiment quartered on him for six weeks by billets signed by the mayor, that he saw one of said serjeants paid by Mr. William Trant for being quartered 011 him during the same time, that Mr. Trant showed him the billet signed by the mayor, that he took no notice of it at that time, but waited till the serjeant called on him again, when he refused to pay him, upon which the serjeant bullied, and swore he would lie in his house, and drew his sword, but then went away; that he soon after returned with half a dozen soldiers, and said the mayor desired him to make his quarters good, upon the witness's still refusing him entrance he went away, and soon after a mayor's serjeant came to the witness to know why he did not pay him, he then told the ser- jeant he would wait upon the mayor on the exchange, which he did, together with Mr. Trant, the serjeant was on the exchange before him. That he ( the witness) told the whole affair to the mayor in the presence of several of the corporation, and desired to be sworn to the facts, and so did Mr. Trant, that the mayor said it was a complaint rather to the commanding officer than to him, and that he was not re- dressed, but the serjeant followed, abused, and insulted him ; that he did not pay the money, the regiment being immediately after removed from Limerick, that he has been rated most partially by the magistrates more than men of treble his fortune; that he has been rated 21. 10 s. when there was no more than 60/. or 70/. to be raised on the parish of St. Johns, that he has made frequent complaints to the magistrates, but never was redressed, that since the late Act, he had been rated only 3s- 3 d- John M'Gregor being examined, said, He was a chandler, that he was rated by the justices 10s. 10d. at a time, when he was not worth 10/. in the world, that the rates have not been fairly or equally apportioned. Dennis Collins being examined, said, He was deputy water- bailiff, that he took 7s. 6d. out of every ship that came to the quay, if the ships remained at the pool, he received only 2 s. 6d. that he also received out of every ship that came in ballast 2 d. per ton, and that he received out of every boat that had a mast 6d. that his duty was to get births for the ships. Alderman