2jf> MINUTES QV EVTDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE J. C. Graves, and a more lenient mode of acting in the collection or the tax in our department, Esq. than in the other department referred to, besides the power of recovery is lost after ^ J two years. ( 29 May.) j) Q y0U not c0nceive that that is a fair principle in all local taxes ?— I do. Have you ever heard of instances in Dublin, of great hardships arising in con- sequence of a large accumulated charge on other taxes ?— Decidedly so; such as parish rate, church cess, and pipe water; the parish cess is personal and does not follow the house; but in the church rate, if there is the smallest want of candour in the person disposing of a house, or want of caution in the person taking it, he will perhaps find a heavy charge upon the house. Have you ever known any instances of that hardship arise?— Yes, I have known several instances; they occurred to me in this way, not in my own office, or division, but sitting for Mr. Casey, when confined by illness, at the Marlborough- street office, a great number of such cases were heard by me, and I found that with respect to the parish cess, when there was a new occupier, I could give relief on the ground that it was a personal charge, and did not follow the house ; but in the church cess that I could not give any relief, and several parties that were before me, I believe, a very considerable number had very heavy charges to pay, which appear- ed to me to form cases of considerable hardship. Does not this same principle apply to the pipe, water and metal main taxes?— I conceive so. What salaries do you pay the watchmen ?— Ten shillings Irish money per week. Has that been the salary which has always been paid by the office ?— Yes, and besides that, they get a great coat and accoutrements. They are armed, are they not ?— With a pole of a particular construction, and a rattle. They have a pike, have they not?— They have a pike at the end of the pole, a kind of halbert. Has there been any reduction in the salaries of the watch establishment since the general fall of prices throughout the city of Dublin ?— I do not think there has; it is nothing but the wonderful want of employment that enables us with that smalL salary, to get trust- worthy persons, but the bad times have been in our favour in that respect. Do you find the police men frequently neglect their duty ?— I would say not frequently, in proportion to their number; but there is an extreme strictness on the part of the magistrates, they being sure that they can always get good candidates, therefore dismissals do occasionally take place, much more among the patroles and out of door men than in the office constables. You had occasion to dismiss some in the case of the riot at the theatre ?— Yes. How many did you dismiss ?— Either nine or eleven, I am not sure which ; it appeared to us upon investigation, that there was a want of energy on their part; that if they had apprehended some persons earlier who had shown clubs in the gal- lery, it would probably have prevented the riot and throwing of missiles that after- wards took place; they were dismissed upon an investigation taking place, directly under the authority of the head office of police. Do you think a military person would be a better person to command the police in Dublin?— I should think, certainly not; it is a civil power altogether, requiring education and experience of another kind. Have you ever read a copy of the petition presented to the House of Commons, by the householders of the parish of St. Peter's ?— No, I do not think I have read a copy of the petition ; I read the statement of the proceedings at the parish of St. Peter's; but I did not read the petition founded upon it, that I recollect. [ The petition was handed to the witness.] Have you seen the petition of the householders of St. Peter's parish?— I have now. Have you read that part of it relating to the police establishment of the city of Dublin?— I have. It contains the following words, " That your petitioners beg leave to call the at- " tention of the House to the large sums granted to the police establishment, which " exclusive of that advanced by government, exceeds the annual sum of 20,000 I. " and they have likewise to complain of the great and undue influence vested in " the corporation of Dublin, under certain provisions in the Police Act of 1808, giving the appointment from that body of all the magistrates of police, with the " exception