ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. 109. viduals who busy themselves especially in parish business are persons who have little to do; and I do not call those the respectable class of citizens ; the truly respec- table citizens, engaged in trade and commerce, would perhaps at first attend on those grand juries, but would soon consider such attendance useless, and, if compul- sory, disagreeable- Do not the corporators pursue business also?— The magistrates are, many of them, persons who have accumulated property, and have retired from business altogether, or who hold official situations under Government; to them specially the care and superintendence of the prisons belongs; and I should consider it highly detrimental to the interest of the prisons of Dublin if there was not on the grand jury a reason- able proportion of the magistrates who are in the habit of constantly visiting the prisons, and thereby are acquainted with their wants and necessities. Within your knowledge do respectable citizens attend the vestries, to superintend the management of the parochial money as far as that is concerned ?— Scarcely ever, within my knowledge. Those who at present constitute the grand jury, what are they ?— They consist of the magistrates, and sheriffs peers, those who have been sheriffs. Do you call them respectable citizens?— The persons elected to be sheriffs in Dublin must fill a respectable station in the city; they must be men of some pro- perty , and in most instances they are men of property. Are they men of business?— It is not unusual for those gentlemen to retire from business. Do not you conceive it liable to suspicion the manner of the grand jury giving presentments to members of their own body ?— Certainly it is ; and I can say that a feeling does exist with a great majority of the citizens, that those presentments are presentments made not so much to meet public wants and public necessities, but as means of jobbing : such a feeling however, in my opinion, is without just foundation. You do not think it would be advantageous if they were prohibited by law from giving presentments to their own body?— I think no presentments ought to be made to any grand jurors, but in cases where it is necessary for the public benefit. Then you would make no alteration in the constitution of the grand juries? — With respect to making any alteration in the constitution of the grand juries by positive enactment, I should think that positive abuses ought first to be clearly proved; at the same time, I do not hesitate to say, that it would be satisfactory to the citizens that a recommendation should come from this Committee ; and I have little doubt but that a simple recommendation, without imputing abuse, would be attended to by the sheriff, and would not be disagreeable to the magistrates. Was not that recommendation made last year by this Committee?— A recommen- dation was made, but not of the character I have described ; and if the Committee knew the quarter from whence those assaults came, it would not be surprised that it was the feeling of the grand jury that they would degrade themselves if they then acted on it; but as I have already said, a recommendation coming from this Com- mittee, without imputing abuse, would, I am confident, be attended to ; and I can state this fact, in proof of that disposition, that some members of the grand jury did urge on their brethren to request the sheriff to put various persons on the grand jury who were active in attacking the grand jury, and the whole system. Are the Committee to understand from you that you do not conceive that any alteration in the constitution of the grand juries, which would cause the individuals serving upon the grand juries to be selected, not from the corporation only, but from the citizens at large, would not be productive of any beneficial consequences in economy ?— I feel confident it could produce very little, unless by a neglect or sacrifice of the public interests. Do you think at present there is a fair and open competition in the way of con- tract under the present constitution of the grand jury, as there would be if the consti- tution of the grand jury were altered ?— I conceive that with respect to contracts there cannot be a doubt on the question, the preference being uniformly and ot necessity given to the lowest bidder. Do you think that if at the ensuing assizes a contract were advertised for by the grand jury of the county of Dublin, and also by the grand jury of the city of Dublin, the contract would be concluded upon as advantageous terms for the public in the city as in the county ?— That must altogether depend upon the terms of the contract oflcrcdt Do you conceive there would be as many proposals for the city contract as for the county contract?— I have no means of forming a judgment from any knowledge of those contracts which are offered by the county grand jury ; but this 1 know, ami 549- E e ^ © A William Harty. ^ ( J 3 May.)