Appendix ' ( A.) Mr. . J. M. Hervey. ( 2 July.) Mr. M. Harrington. 108 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE You stated, that you do not consider the. grand juries of the city of Limerick a fair and equal representation of the wealth and respectability of the city and liberties ? '— Not of the wealth and property of the city and liberties, and I can give my reason for that opinion ; there are a number of respectable merchants and gentlemen of property in the city and liberties, whose names I have never seen on the grand jury ; and there appears" to me to be very little variation for many years; there has been hardly any charge. Are not the great majority of the persons of property to whom you have alluded, the opposers of the corporation interest in the city of Limerick ?— Some of them, I believe, were members of that association of independents; but I do not think that all were. Are not the majority of them ?— I should imagine that a considerable number of them were. Do you think it would be possible to strike a grand jury, according to your idea of a fair and equal representation of the property of the city and liberties, without incorporating into that grand jury those persons who have subscribed for the pur- pose of opposing the corporation interest in the city ?— I believe not; and I think it would be very right and very fair that such persons should be members of the grand jury, voting the public money which themselves and their tenants will probably have to pay ; 1 conceive the grand jury ought to be composed of all persons of respecta- bility and property. , Do not you conceive, that an equal and fair representation of " the property and intelligence of the city of Limerick, is as important, as it respects the administration of justice, as the voting the public money ?— I should think it is. Are you aware of petitions having been presented to Parliament by the city of Limerick ; were those petitions matter of notoriety in the town ?— I believe they were; but I stated, on a former occasion, that I have always kept clear of party affairs. Mr. Matthew Barrington, called in ; and Examined. WHERE do you reside?— Partly in Limerick, and partly in Dublin. • What office do you hold ?— I am crown solicitor'for Munster. You are also practising as a solicitor ?— Yes, I am. Have you been for any time acquainted with the proceedings of the corporation of the city of Limerick, and of the designs which have been proposed ?— Yes, I have. For how many years have you been acquainted with those proceedings ?— Certainly for ten years, and think for more than that, probably fifteen. Have you had any communication with respect to the line of examination that you are now to be subjected to, and the questions which you are to be asked before this Committee?— No, I have not. With any individual ?— Certainly not. Have you been employed in presenting- petitions to the corporation from several persons praying for admission to the freedom of the city ?— Yes, I have. To whom were those petitions presented?— To the mayor, chamberlain and council. Through what individual member of the council are those petitions presented ?— the mayor. Have you known of the admission of any individuals in consequence of those petitions ?— No, I cannot say that I have, with one exception. What were the claims of those petitioners ?— By the three rights of birth, marriage and servitude. Were those several rights established by proceedings in courts of law ?— They were. Were those several rights affirmed by two successive Committees of the House of Commons ?— Yes, they were. What was the single case of admission to which you allude ?— It was the case of my father. In what right did he claim ?— As the eldest son of a freeman. Will you state to the Committee the difference of stamp duty upon the admission of a freeman as a right, and the admission of a freeman by favour ?— The stamp duty, I think, is ll. for the admission in either of the three rights, and for an admission by favour it is 31. Was the admission of your father transcribed upon a 3 /. or upon a 1 stamp ?— Upon a 3/. stamp. 617. - Was m 1