ON PETITIONS RELATING TO LIMERICK TAXATION. 73 / to give any, refusing to give inspection; he admitted the demand, and tender made Appendix pursuant to the said Act;" was that demand made in the street or in the office of ( A.) the town- clerk?— The demand was made in the street. \ j But various demands were made of you, in your office, to the same effect?— If any Mr. document is shown to me, it may bring it to my recollection; I have no doubt it was Edward Parker. the case. # . ( 1 Jaly.) There were some ancient corporation books prior to the commencement of the council books; have you ever heard of such books?— I have heard of them/ Are they in your possession ?— No; the ancient council books are not in my pos- session, nor any book containing the resolutions of council antecedent to 1746. Do you know where they are?— No. Have you ever seen them ?—- Never. Your father was town- clerk?— He was. Did you ever hear from him where those books were?— Never. Were you examined in a court of justice, at Ennis, with regard to the affairs of the corporation of Limerick ?— Yes. How did you reconcile it to your conscience, to give evidence at Ennis, when you were bound by the oath of a burgess, which you have read to the Committee?—• I do not recollect giving any evidence of council proceedings; I did not; I was asked a very few questions. Were you a burgess at the time you were so examined?— A burgess ? Yes; were you town- clerk at the time you were so examined?— I was town- clerk. Are you sure that you continued in office, or that you were disfranchised for the purpose ?— I was disfranchised of my office as a burgess, to enable me to give evi- dence, by an order of council. And the moment you had given evidence, you were reinstated ?— Not the moment, some time after; I cannot tell now. You were disfranchised for the purpose of meeting the legal objection?— And several others besides me; I was asked very few questions indeed ; I do not think I should have answered any questions relating to the secrets of the council; it was to remove my incompetency as evidence. Can you inform the Committee whether there were not very many complaints with regard to the difficulty of registering freeholders in the city of Limerick?— I know there were many complaints. And there was a petition on that subject?— Yes. And an Act of Parliament has been passed, obliging magistrates to hold courts for registering them ?— A general Act. Since which there have been no complaints? — No complaints. Martis, 2° die Julii, 1822. THOMAS SPRING RICE, ESQUIRE, IN" THE CHAIR. Mr. Joseph Massey Hervey, again Called in ; and Examined. Mr. WILL you have the goodness to inform the Committee, whether any, and what J- M- He, v public notice was given by the Chamber of Commerce on their becoming tenants of Jub'-) the tolls?— I believe I had better state the origin of our dealing with the corpo- ration. Several years ago, I believe about 1808 or 1809, I am not quite sure whicli potatoes were rather scarce in the middle of summer, and it was found that very few came to the market, but stopped at the different entrances into town, and were there sold; and upon inquiry, it was found, that the country people avoided the market on account of the extortion of the toll- gatherers at the potatoe markets ; and the directors of the Chamber of Commerce took the matter in consideration, and made an application to the corporation of Limerick, requesting them to give up the tolls on potatoes for the remainder of that season, and whatever stun they should be obliged to refund to the person to whom they had set the tolls, the Chamber of Com- merce would reimburse out of their own funds, as well as I recollect; we supposed it might come to about 50/. for it was near the end of the summer, and it is from about Michaelmas the tolls are taken. The corporation declined that, but suggested, that the Chamber of Commerce might become, the next year, tenants of the tolls, and 617. T regulate