ON PETITIONS RELATING TO LIMERICK TAXATION. 25. tenants of the tolls; it is so declared in the resolution that they came to, when they made the contract with John Prendergast Smyth, esquire, the late Lord Gort, the then chamberlain; this was in 1809, he was the first person with whom an agreement was made. To whom is the 1,500/. a year paid?— At present it is paid to Lord Gort. He is chamberlain of the corporation of the city of Limerick, is he not?— He is. Are you aware of any other source of revenue which is possessed by the corpora- tion of Limerick ?— There are the small tolls also. At what sum are they let?— I do not recollect the exact sum for which they are let annually, and I should be very unwilling to state that which I am not sure of, but I think it is about 500 /. On what commodities are those tolls taken ?— Butter, pigs, poultry, in fact upon all the miscellaneous articles coming into the city, with the exception of potatoes and grain. Has the collection of those tolls been complained of?— Yes, they have. Particularly the very small toll?— Yes. Are you acquainted with the state of the roads and bridges in the neighbourhood of Limerick ?— I am. Have you ever known those roads and bridges to be repaired at the expense of the corporation, and out of their funds?— Never; but I have some reason to believe that some expenditure has been made upon what they call the long pavement, in the county of Clare side; I have heard, that occasionally some repairs of that kind have been done, but in no other instance whatever, neither bridges nor roads. [ The following Extract " from the Report of the Committee appointed to examine into the matters contained in the Petition of John O'Donnell, of the city of Limerick, freeman, and others; and also the matter of the Petition of John Bouchier, and others, freeholders of the County of Clare, 1761," was read:— " Resolved,— " ist. That it appears to this committee, that the estate and revenues of the corporation of the city of Limerick, are vested in the whole corporate body for the public uses of the city. " 2d. That it appears to this committee, that an order was made by the said corporation on the twentieth day of August, one thousand seven hundred and twenty- eight, that all leases to be made by the corporation of any lands, tenements or hereditaments belonging to them, should be first proposed to the court of Doyer hundred for their assent thereto, before such leases should be perfected, and that the said order still remains unrepealed. " 3d. That it appears to this committee, from the books and accounts of the said corporation, that the mayor and common council of the said city have, for several years past, taken upon themselves to dispose of the whole revenues of the said corporation, and the greatest part thereof amongst a few members of the said council, without the approbation of the said court of D'Oyer hundred. " 4th. That it appears to this committee, that the mayor and common council of the said city have taken upon them to demise the greatest part of the estate of the said corporation to some members of the said common council, for 999 years, and to other members of the said council, for ever, at trifling rents. " 5th. That it appears to this committee, from the books and accounts of the said corporation, that the mayor and common council of the said city have for several years past misapplied and wasted the greater part of the revenues of the said city."] In what manner is the common council of the city of Limerick constituted ?— We know of no form of election. Are not they the governing body ?— They ought to be the governing body, but I really do not know of any governing body in Limerick but one. Explain to the committee what you mean by that answer ?— As to the court of common council, I am perfectly ignorant of their mode of transacting business. Are you aware in what maner they are elected ?— No, I am not. Are you aware What power they exercise ?— They exercise the power of electing public officers, as I have been given to understand, and of the setting the tolls. 617. G They