• ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN, 319 effective ?— The recommendation of the last Committee was not attended to, because from communications I have had with persons who are best able to carry it into effect, I am persuaded they felt that recommendation to be so much connected with imputation on themselves, that acceding to the recommendation, they felt would be acquiescing in the justice of the suspicions entertained; my evidence was, that a recommendation from this Committee, unaccompanied by any imputation, either personal or general, would be attended with the desired effect; and I have no doubt it would. Can you point out, in the report of last session, any imputation of an injurious nature ?— At this moment I have not the report exactly on my memory; but whe- ther it does contain such imputation, or not, I am quite sure that the persons to whom I have alluded, acted under the impression that it did so ; whether that was well founded or not, I cannot at this moment from my memory supply. Do you consider the principle and practice, which has been adopted by the sheriffs of the city of Dublin, to be supported by the law of the land ?— It is a sub- ject, upon which the law itself is silent; the law gives a discretion to the sheriff, which I should for my own part be glad to see more liberally exercised towards those, not members of the corporation. Do you conceive, that this selection of grand jurors from the corporation only, is beneficial to the interests of the public?— I am quite satisfied it is not beneficial, inasmuch as it excites suspicion ; for I am quite satisfied of this, that in their ge- neral conduct, they are as correct and as pure as any other grand jury in the king- dom of Ireland. Do you conceive the contract system, as at present administered by the grand jury, to be administered on principles conducive to proper economy, and the fair competition, which ought to be the objects of a system of open contract ?— I am quite sure that the contract system pursued by the grand jury of the city of Dublin, is as little liable to any objection as any other I have ever known ; there are some objections to it, but their objections which the grand jury cannot remedy, but which arise from the law itself; for instance, I am quite sure that it is quite wrong, that the grand jury should be obliged to take the lowest offer, however high that may be ; and I will only add, that in the course of a very minute investigation, from persons of all political principles, and principally from those who are most hostile to the grand jury of the city of Dublin, I have never been able to trace one single authentic instance of any offer made by any person, being the lowest, not being accepted. Have you ever heard of an alteration in the contract, being in point of fact introduced, by a difference in the article supplied, and the article contracted for ?— In point of fact, that is a chance to which every contract is liable; but I believe the Dublin grand jury have taken as much pains, and as effective means to check that, as any grand jury I have ever known. The execution of the contract system being gone, requiring daily attention in the supplies of food and clothing for prisoners, do you not think that [ the establish- ment of a superintending committee by the grand juries for the prisons, would have the effect of insuring a fair supply by the contractors ?— I am sure it is the most likely means of having the supply equal to the sample; and in point of fact, whether justified by law or not, the city of Dublin grand jury have instituted a check of that description, by appointing a certain number of the grand jurors to act in the capacity of a superintending committee, during the time they are not sitting. Is that committee composed of members of the grand jury alone 5— I believe exclusively selected from the grand jury, and I believe it is generally by ballot; it is a duty which the people in general do not like, and I believe the selection is made by ballot. Do you not think, that a superintending committee appointed by the grand jury, and consisting not only of grand jurors, but of any other active and benevolent per- sons whom the grand jury might think fit to appoint, would be a better mode of administering the economy of the prisons, than a committee of the grand jury themselves ?— I think it would be better to appoint persons not on the grand jury; but as it is at present constituted, the grand jury cannot exercise any influence except over their own body. The grand jurors are generally persons in business, or who hold other situations ? — They are generally persons engaged in commercial pursuits. From that very circumstance many of them must have conflicting duties, which KACi interfere