Appendix ( A;) Mr. Edward Parker. ( 27 June.) 58 MIMUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE Have you any other book relating to the accounts of the city of Limerick?— I will look over the list; I have a great number of books. Have you any book showing the receipts of the chamberlain ?— I have not. Have the kindness to bring the books of accounts for 1815? [ The witness produced the same, and the council book of 1796.] Does this book contain any account of the receipts of the corporation ?— No. [ The witness turned to some entries.'] Have the kindness to state the amount of costs, which appear paid by the corpo- ration, on the 21st April 1815?— 2,409/. 18 s. 6d. Paid to whom ?— To different persons ; no, it was to Furlong and Chambers. In what suits ?— Relative to Mr. Tuthill, Mr. O'Sullivan, and Lord Glentworth, the three mandamus suits. Those were proceedings taken against the corporation, to enforce the admission of the son of a freeman, the sons- in- law of a freeman, and an apprentice to a freeman, to the franchise of Limerick ?— Yes. Were those proceedings successful ?— I believe so. Do you not know the individuals in question were sworn in ?— They were. The rights of the sons, and the sons- in- law, and apprentices of freemen, were also confirmed by two succeeding committees of the House of Commons; were they not ?— Yes. Were those costs paid out of the corporation revenues of Limerick?— I be- lieve so. Do you not know it ?— I was not present when they were paid. They appear on this book as paid ?— Yes, ordered to be paid, and I believe they were paid. Have the goodness to inform the Committee, whether the stamps, upon the ad- missions of freemen, are paid out of the corporation revenues?— I believe in most instances they were ; I was not present when they were bought. Turn to the entry of 15th of February 1813. [ The witness referred to the same.] —" 15th of February 1813; Resolved unanimously, That the following persons be and they are hereby admitted freemen at large of that city; and that, pursuant to the Stamp Act, their names be also inserted in the book of pound stamps, which has been provided for the purpose, and in which the members of the common council present shall sign their names." How many freemen were on that day admitted ?— One hundred and nine. Please to turn to the entry of the 4th of January 1819?— [ The witness referred to the same.] This is it; " 4th of January 1819; Resolved, that in pursuance of the resolution of this council, credit be given to the chamberlain in his account for the sums paid by him for stamps on the admission of freemen." Have the goodness to produce the stamped entries of the admission of freemen. [ The witness produced the same, and it was delivered in.] Have you a list of the number of stamps in this book ?— I reckon the number of stamps in that book to be 251 stamps of 3/. each. What is the expense ?— 753 I. Was that paid out of the corporation revenues of Limerick ?— I believe so; I was not present when it was paid I believe it was. Can you inforn the Committee, whether the expense of stamps is paid indis- criminately upon the admission of every freeman, or whether it is paid only upon the admission of such freemen as are in the corporation interest ?•— I have known in- stances both ways ; for instance, the freemen admitted on the 15th of February 1813, the whole batch were put on stamps at the time, before the book was signed; and some did not exercise the franchise for a long time after that; the Act was done at the moment, the day they were admitted. The question was, had you known instances in which individuals who had been admitted free upon the corporation books, were called upon to pay the expenses of the stamps when they were not considered in the corporation interest?— I have heard of it; I was not present; I have heard of such a thing happening. Have you ever known any individuals who appear admitted free by those cer- tificates, called upon to pay the expenses of the stamp duty ?— No. For