12 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE Mr. You said, that the general opinion in Dublin among the tradesmen was, that it was Richard Purdy. qUjle j^ le to make proposals for contracts to the grand juries?— I have heard it said. ' Have you made inquiries respecting it?— I have. ( 30 April.) of tj0W many have you inquired ?— Of several. And that was the general impression?— It was. Do you know who have been the contractors for the last four years, in general, for the supply of the prisons in Dublin with provisions, and blanketing, and linen ; can YOU mention any of their names?— Mr. Isaac Manders, son of Alderman Manders, was uniformly the contractor for bread until he retired from business, when his successor and relative obtained the contracts; this subject was mentioned in the court of King's Bench, and for some time past a Mr. Ricard has been the con- tractor. Alderman Manders and Richard Manders, jun. were usually upon the jury. Mr. Studdart, a police magistrate and grand juror, usually obtained the con- tract for blankets, until Michaelmas 1821, when Mr. Dalton became the contractor; and again at Easter 1822, Mr. Dalton was the contractor; and upon those occasions Alderman Nugent, to whom Dalton was shopman, was upon the jury. I have also been informed, that the outlay of all sums at Richmond bridewell, and at Easter term 1816, a large sum was presented to those gentlemen for certain alterations at Newgate, and at Easter 1819, a similar presentment for bridewell, to include expense of a clock, for which 370/. was paid to Alderman Warner or his representatives. Mr. Dalton's contract was made in Michaelmas 1821, to continue to Easter 1822, and subsequent to that, there was a contract made by Mr. Graham, who is a very respectable wholesale woollendraper, and member of the common council. Who are the other contractors ?— I find the name of Dalton in several of these presentments; Sheriff Thorp's name is upon each of them; at Michaelmas 1822, there were five presentments to him ; generally the contractors are either members, or connected with members, of the corporation. When you went to the gaols, did you inquire for the patterns ?— I did; particularly for those sent by Mr. Dalton. Did you see the patterns?— I did not. Did you try at other gaols?— I was merely deputed to go to bridewell; the con- tracts were for clothing, for bedticks, for shirts and rugs for Newgate; that was the contract made by Mr. Dalton to which I alluded. He is foreman to Alderman Nugent ?-— I have heard that he was. Mr. John Mc Mullen, called in; and Examined. WHERE do you reside?— In Blessington- street, in the city of Dublin. What is your business?— I am engaged in trade as a factor at the Linen- hall. How long have you resided in Dublin?— About fifteen years. Have you paid any particular attention to the local taxes of the city of Dublin ?— I have, for some time past. What circumstances induced you to pay that attention to the local taxation of the city?— The subject was forced upon my attention by the extremely distressed state of the city of Dublin, by the decay of its trade and manufactures; the expe- rience which, in my own trading pursuits, I have individually of those circum- stances, forced the subject upon my attention. Has your attention been particularly turned to that branch of the local taxation which is levied under the authority of the grand juries of the city of Dublin?— To a considerable extent. Are you deputed by any body of inhabitants to attend this Committee, and to give evidence ?— I attended it on the summons which I received from the Com- mittee ; I have not been regularly deputed by any body of the inhabitants of Dublin; but committees have been formed, and I have been requested by those committees ( if I should be summoned) to attend the Committee of the House of Commons. On what principle is the amount of the grand jury taxation of the city of Dublin apportioned upon the property of individuals in that city ?— In the mode of appor- tioning the tax over the district on which it is levied, the principle appears to be most objectionable. By the 33 of Geo. 3. the churchwardens are obliged to return upon oath, to the treasurer of the grand jury, an exact account of the gross sum ot ministers money chargeable upon the inhabitants of each parish, from which return the Act directs that the grand jury shall, at least once in every third year, form a table of applotment of the proportion which each parish bears to the whole; and Mr. John M'Mullen. \ J