Appendix ( A.)': Mr. E( kia%\ d Parker. ( 27 June.) 62 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE Do you consider the common council competent to call for such documents ?— I never saw an instance of it; I do not know ; as to their competence, the chamber- lain has usually settled his accounts before the committee. In the event of the common council supposing that their revenues were misapplied, have they not the power to call for the receipts, as well as the expenditure ?— I think they could, so far as my judgment goes; but I never saw an instance of it. Have the committee of accounts any other books, or records, or accounts, except those produced by you?— This is the existing committee of accounts book; I be- lieve there is another older book; I believe they have no other book in their possession. That is as to the expenditure?— Yes. As to the receipts?— I do not know any thing of that; I am not one of the com- mittee of accounts, and do not attend their meetings generally; what passes there is without my knowledge. You cannot state whether they have, or have not, any other or further accounts than those produced ?— I believe they have no other but this. Can you state positively whether they have or not ?— I cannot. You did not attend the committee of accounts?— No, it is not part of my duty; I believe there may have been a few instances of my taking down their resolutions to oblige the members; but I had no right to do it; that is in my hand- writing. Except in those instances in which your hand- writing proves your attendance, you have been wholly ignorant of their proceedings ?— Yes, entirely. Are the expenses of the corporation submitted annually to the committee of ac- counts?— The custom, I believe, is for the committee of accounts to meet annually, to investigate the claims on the corporation. Do they submit the gross sums to the common council?— The proceedings of the committee are first entered into a book, and transcribed from that into this book, and they are read aloud in the council, and signed, which ratifies the accounts. That has been the practice in your recollection ?— Yes, the invariable practice ; and that order of council is my authority. You have stated, that sometimes the expenses of taking up freedoms were paid for, and at other times not; has that continued to the present time ?— There have not been any appointed lately. Not since when ?— The last order for the admission of freemen was the 8th of October 1821, since which no order has been made. At that time were they all paid for ?— I believe, as nearly as I can recollect, there was no stamps put upon these admissions, they are merely put upon the book, not admitted free; the words are, ordered that the freedom be granted. The distinction you draw, is, that when the corporation elected freemen, they usually paid the stamps for them ?— Yes, when they admitted them. On their admission, having been elected by the corporation as freemen, upon their admission they paid the stamps for them?— Yes; there are three words made use of, " Election— Admission," and " Granted ;" the freemen that were admitted on the 15th February 1813, were put on the stamps, the same day; in other instances it was paid when they exercised the franchise. There were three persons who proceeded against the corporation by manda- muses ?— Yes. And who obtained their freedom in a court of law?— Yes. The corporation did not pay their stamps ?— No, they did not. The minute of the meeting of the committee of accounts of the 22d of Februarv 1813, is now before you ; in whose hand writing is that?— This is not in mine; the whole of the account is in my hand- writing. Turn to the next entry, June 28th 1813?— Yes. Is that in your hand- writing ?— Yes, except the signatures. It is signed by the members of the committee of accounts ?— Yes, by all who attended that day. Does that account contain any statement whatsoever of what were the receipts of the corporation of the city ?— No. Does the subsequent entry of the 28th June contain any such ?— No. You attended at both those meetings ?— So it appears. Was there any statement made, or any account furnished, of the receipts of the corporation as well as the expenditure?— Not that I can recollect; it does not appear here. Who was chamberlain at the time that the committee of account met to audit the accounts?— Lord Kiltarton. Uucle