a n^ wq ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN.. 159 that they have been on some occasions, perhaps, a little too merciful; when it was necessary to be severe they have been severe; but they have sometimes tempered their justice with mercy. In such complaints as have been brought before the Coal Committee respecting coal- meters, have not a great number of such complaints been brought forward bv the inspector and book- keeper of the establishment ?— A great number; the majority have been brought forward by the inspector and book- keeper. Are you at all acquainted with the power which the Corporation of London have over the sale of coals in London ?— Except from what I have heard since I came here, I am not; I have got some information from the officers. Do you know whether the Corporation of London has the right of appointing the coal- meters in their district, and do not they derive considerable emolument from the metage of coals ?— Very considerable ; and I can state the probable amount from what I have heai'd ; the land- coal- meters in London are in number forty- five; it ap- pears to me that their wages are 6d. per chaldron for the measurement; those fees are paid into the corporation fund, and those men only get about 1 /. 8 s. a- week for their labour, or about 70/. per annum ; from that the Corporation of London must derive a very large revenue, perhaps 4 or 5,000/. a- year. The wages of the sea- coal- meters, of which I understand there are 120, are 4d. per chaldron for measure- ment; and I have been informed that the Corporation take 3 d. of that 4d., and they pay them 1 d. per chaldron, but the sea- coal- meters from this and their other emolu- ments, have about 250/. per annum each, and thus I should suppose, the Corporation put into their funds very large sums, perhaps from 10 to 15,000/. a- year. Do the Guild of Merchants in Dublin derive any emolument from or receive any part of the metage on coals?— Nothing; they give it all to the men. Do the Guild of Merchants receive a fee on the election of a measurer?— The Guild of Merchants do receive a fee, which I can state ; there is an old fee of ten Guineas, which was always paid into the funds of the Guild, on the election of a • coal- meter, and for some time back the masters fees have been also paid into the Guild. What has the master?— The senior master had 011 the election of a coal- meter twelve guineas, the junior master had 1/. 14s. if. d. that goes into the funds of the Guild, so that the Guild receive now upon the election of each coal- meter, 26/. 14s. 7hd.\ the clerk has a guinea and a half on the election of each coal- meter ; the inspector one guinea; the book- keeper one guinea; the beadle half a guinea; making the whole 31/. 5s. 7d. that every coal- meter pays on his election. Is any thing of that kind paid by the meters here?— I cannot say, I have not inquired into that. Is any security given by any of the meters, or is a character required, in Dublin? •— Yes; and previous to elections there is a paper, stating each candidate's quali- fications ; that he is a freeman of the City of Dublin; that he has no employ- ment under the revenue; that he is a healthy, honest, sober, and diligent man, capable of executing the duties of his employment. This certificate must be signed by five or six respectable citizens, with their residence annexed, and it is handed into the hall previous to the commencement of the election. Do not the Coal Committee act gratuitously ?— Certainly; they always have done so. Have not some of the coal- factors or dealers in Dublin, at different times, re- sisted the right of the Guild with respect to the coal- meters establishment?— They have. Have not they been defeated at law in their attempts ?— They have. Will you state the particulars of those transactions?— In July 1819, Torkington and Flower, coal- meters, lodged informations against a coal- factor, of the name of Thomas Francis Russell, and two men of the name of Betts and Fitzgerald, his assistants or porters. There were two assaults committed ; that is, an assault upon each of those two, Torkington and Flower, under, I think, very aggravated cir- cumstances. The men were doing their duty in a gabbard of this Russell's, at the Dodder Bank. This prosecution was in the Sessions Court of Dublin. The bills were found, and all things prepared for trial; and after employing counsel, and in every way preparing, the then Recorder made an objection, that being a free mer- chant himself he would not try it. He refused to do so through delicacy, and that case was obliged to fall to the ground in consequence of the Recorder making that, objection. 549- I i magistrates, Mr. Timothy Allen. (? 3 Ma- y.)