Dr. William Harty. ( 13 May.) I 120 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE HIM TO an allowance IN THE WAY OF DISCOUNT ?— UNQUESTIONABLY, IT WOULD BE A MOST DESIRABLE ARRANGEMENT, AND ONE MOST SATISFACTORY, TO HAVE CERTAIN OFFICES TOR THE COLLECTION OF ALL THE LOCAL TAXES; BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE ALLOWANCE OF DISCOUNT, IT IS • V PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BE MERELY CALCULATED TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM THE PAYEE OUT ONE POCKET AND RETURN IT INTO THE OTHER; FOR IN ORDER TO ALLOW DISCOUNT YOU MUST increase the AMOUNT OF THE TAX BY THE AMOUNT OF THE PROPOSED DISCOUNT; AND IT JUST COMES TO THIS, THAT YOU MUST LAY ON THE MORE TO MAKE UP FOR IT; FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE GRAND JURY CESS, IF THE SUM TO BE RAISED BE 25,000/. THAT SUM IS TO BE RAISED FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES ; AND TO ENABLE YOU TO ALLOW A DISCOUNT TO PERSONS PAYING THIS MONEY YOU MUST LAY ON AN ADDITIONAL TAX, PERHAPS OF 2,000 I. " DO VOU NOT CONCEIVE THAT THERE WOULD BE VERY CONSIDERABLE SAVING TO THE PUBLIC, INFINITELY MORE THAN FIVE PER- CENT, IF THERE WERE A READY- MONEY DEALING ESTABLISHED BY THE SEVERAL CONTRACTORS ?— CERTAINLY ; THERE WOULD BE VERY GREAT SAVING. THEN IF YOU ENABLE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GRAND JURY TAXES TO PAY IN ADVANCE, WOULD NOT THE ADVANTAGE OF ESTABLISHING A FUND FOR READY- MONEY DEALING BE THEREBY ATTAINED ? AND WOULD NOT THE GAIN TO THE PUBLIC, BY A READY- MONEY DEALING, BE MORE THAN THE FIVE PER- CENT ALLOWED TO THE INDIVIDUAL PAYING IT ?— UNQUESTIONABLY. DO YOU CONCEIVE THAT THE SECRETARY AND THE TREASURER, EITHER JOINTLY OR SEPARATELY, MIGHT NOT DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT?— THE DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT ARE OF VAST IMPORTANCE; THERE ARE SUCH A NUMBER OF COMPLICATED PRE- SENTMENTS AND accounts COMING BEFORE THE GRAND JURY; AND THE WHOLE OF THAT DUTY IS TO BE DISCHARGED WITHIN THE SHORT PERIOD OF THE TERM. IF THE TREASURER OR SECRETARY WERE CALLED UPON TO DISCHARGE THAT DUTY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THEY COULD DISCHARGE THEIR OWN EFFICIENTLY; AND I AM QUITE SURE THE PUBLIC WOULD BE A SERIOUS LOSER; AND I CAN FURTHER STATE, THAT THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT LIAS SAVED MORE IN A TERM THAN THE WHOLE AMOUNT OF HIS SALARY. YOU WILL BEAR IN MIND THAT THE QUESTION WAS, WHETHER THE SECRETARY AND THE TREASURER MIGHT NOT BE EQUAL TO THE PUBLIC DISCHARGE OF THOSE DUTIES ?— THE DUTY OF EACH IS SPECIALLY HEAVY AT THE SAME PERIOD. IF IT WAS A DUTY TO BE DISCHARGED AT ANY OTHER TIME THAN TERM TIME IT MIGHT BE DONE, BUT AS THE CASE IS OTHERWISE IT CANNOT BE DONE. ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY LOSSES WHICH HAVE ACCRUED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE GRAND JURY COLLECTORS?— I NEVER HEARD OF ANY; FOR I CAN STATE THAT THE GRAND JURY TAKE CARE TO HAVE PROPER SECURITY FROM THE COLLECTORS, AND THEN THEY UNIFORMLY CALL UPON THE SECURITIES TO PAY ANY DEFICIENCIES OF THE COLLECTORS. HAVE YOU ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH OCCURRED IN THE COURT OF KING'S BENCH LAST TERM WITH REGARD TO A TRAVERSE ?— I HAVE MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A TRAVERSE NOT FOR ANY SPECIAL PRESENTMENT, BUT FOR ARREARS ALLEGED TO BE DUE BY ONE PARISH ; IT WAS MERELY A TRAVERSE FOR ARREARS. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE TREASURER AT LAST EASTER TERM HAVING SENT THE PRESENTMENT SHEET TO THE CHURCHWARDENS OF ST. MARY'S PARISH ONLY ON THE SEVENTH DAY AFTER IT W AS FIATED, AND THAT NO TRAVERSE AFTER IT WAS FIATED COULD BE MADE AFTER THE EXPI- RATION OF SEVEN DAYS?— I AM NOT AWARE OF SUCH A CIRCUMSTANCE. DO YOU KEEP A COPY OF THE ORDERS WHICH YOU GIVE TO THE APOTHECARY ?— THEY REMAIN IN THE PRESCRIPTION- BOOK. ARE THERE ANY MEDICINES OR NECESSARIES FURNISHED BY THE APOTHECARY WITHOUT YOUR CONTROL OR THAT OF THE SURGEON?— CERTAINLY NEVER, EXCEPT IN A CASE OF THIS KIND. I ALWAYS LEAVE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT CERTAIN MEDICINES, PURGING PILLS, OR PURGING MIXTURES, AND IF A SUDDEN ATTACK COMES ON, AND THOSE SHOULD NOT BE AT HAND, THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD SEND FOR THEM TO THE APOTHECARY. DO YOU BY YOUR PRESCRIPTION- BOOK CHECK THE AMOUNT OF THE APOTHECARY'S BILLS?— CERTAINLY, 1 J DO YOU CONCEIVE THE CHARGE ON THE WHOLE TO BE FAIR AND REASONABLE ?— I consider IT VERY REASONABLE INDEED. ARE YOU AWARE WHAT HE CHARGES FOR WINE ?- I THINK IT IS 2 * 4 CL A PINT FOR PORT OR SHERRY ; AND TO SHOW THE FURTHER REASONABLENESS OF HIS CHARGES, I SHALL ONLY STATE THIS ULAT M, E ° PERATION OF BLEEDING IS A SOURCE OF CONSIDERABLE TROUBLE TO THE APOTHE- Y'J; THE CHARGE USED TO BE 5,., AND WHEN IT HAD BEEN REDUCED EVEN TO HALF- A- CROWN, 7 HLM, UP° N THE "" REASONABLENESS OF CHARGING HALF- A- CROWN for 3 HVE PATIENTS, PERHAPS IN THE SAME PRISON AND ON THE SAME CLAY ; AND I SU- THE WHOLE CE* Y 8 ^ ERAL CHARGE, HE SAID HE WOULD RATHER STRIKE OUT " NOLE CHARGE, AND HAS DONE SO EVER SINCE. Do