kio' ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUELIN. 73 Sir Robert Shaw, Baronet, a Member of the Committee, Examined. HAVE you been long acquainted with the city of Dublin ?— Yes, twenty- five years at least. Have you served upon grand juries in the city of Dublin?— I have occasionally, but not often on the grand juries of the city. When did you first serve upon a grand jury of the city?-— That I cannot charge my memory with. Was your first summons to the grand jury of the city of Dublin, at or about the time of your reaching corporate rank in the city ?— Not before, certainly. What corporate rank do you allude to ?— Common councilman. Had you represented the city of Dublin, previously to your serving upon grand juries of the city?— Yes, I had. Although representative for the city of Dublin, and residing there, you were not summoned upon the grand juries of the city of Dublin, until you had became a common councilman ?— I was not. Do you know any instances in your experience of the grand juries of the city of Dublin, in which individuals not being common councilrnen, or of the higher class of the corporation, are summoned upon those grand juries?— I believe they are occasionally summoned, but I never knew an instance of one of them having an opportunity of serving upon a grand jury, when the aldermen and sheriff's peel's attended in their order. Then the aldermen, sheriff's peers and common councilmen, constitute exclu- sively the presenting grand juries of the city of Dublin?— I think they generally do, they always would if they attended in order, as they are always the first called. Individuals resident in the city of Dublin, however high their rank, and con- siderable their property, are not sworn upon that grand jury unless they are possessed of that corporate rank?— Certainly not; I never knew an instance of Mr. Grattan, so long as he was my colleague, being summoned upon it, or of Mr. Ellis, who is my present colleague, being summoned upon it. Do the same individuals, generally speaking, constitute the grand juries of the city of Dublin ?— Generally, with a very small variation ; I am speaking entirely of the presenting grand juries. Are you aware of any law, either general or municipal, which confines the pre- senting grand juries to the members of the corporation ?— No, I am not, except that it is always at the discretion of the sheriff, who invariably chooses persons of that rank. By whom is the sheriff appointed ?— By the corporation, by the commons and aldermen. Then the sheriffs are appointed by the individuals, whom the sheriffs in turn appoint as grand jurors ?— Certainly. What is your rank at present in the corporation ?— An alderman. As alderman, is it not your duty at times to assist the recorder in the discharge of his public functions ?— Very often. Is it competent to the recorder to open his court and proceed to business without the attendance of one or two aldermen ?— It is not competent for him to open his court without the attendance of two aldermen. Have you ever known any inconvenience result to the public from that circum- stance ?— I have certainly observed very considerable inconvenience, in one or two instances when I have attended, being punctual to the hour appointed, we have remained sometimes for hours together, without being able even to send a witness up to the grand jury to be examined. In point of fact, are not the criminal functions of that court administered by the recorder?— He always consults the sitting magistrates with him, as to the quantum of punishment, but all the legal questions are entirely decided by him. Does not the delay which you have alluded to, create difficulty in the gaol delivery, and consequently add to the expense of maintaining the criminals in prison ?— It certainly does. Does not the responsibility of selecting grand juries, rest entirely with the sheriff?— Entirely. In that respect it does not differ from the constitution of grand juries in counties ?— Not the least. Then do you conceive, as the responsibility rests upon one. person, whether, if the . 54 y. ' nature