kio' ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUELIN. 73 the deficiency exceeded 1,200/.; and that Isaac Manders, son of Alderman Manders was uniformly the contractor for bread so long as he continued in trade, and that in one year of that period, 1 817, the sum presented to Isaac Manders for bread, was 3,7581. 9 s. 11 d. equal to nearly 4 d. per day for each prisoner. Mr. Richard Purdy. ( 8 May.) Veneris, 9" die Maii, 1823. SIR ROBERT SHAW, BARONET, IN THE CHAIR. liiO The Rev. Piers Robert Gamble, called in; and Examined. WHAT is your profession ?— I am a clergyman of the established church. What public official situation do you hold, and how long have you held it ?— I have been inspector of gaols of the city of Dublin since the year 1814, and curate of St. Michan's parish. By whom, and why were you appointed to the office of inspector of prisons ?— I was appointed by the grand jury of the city of Dublin, in compliance with the 50th Act of the late king, chapter 103. Do you owe your appointment to any favour or friendship of any person who has been in the habit of serving upon the grand jury ?—' No, I do not. Is not your appointment specially under the Act of Parliament?— It is; the grand jury being bound to select the inspector from amongst the Protestant clergy of the parish. What salary was attached to your office at the time of your appointment, and what now ?— The salary attached to my office, at the time of my appointment, was 2001. a year and ten pounds ; now it is 400/. and ten pounds a year. State the reason of the first increase of salary, and the time at which it took place ?— The first increase of my salary was in consequence of the then very crowded state of Newgate, which obliged the court of King's Bench to order the removal of convicts to Kilmainham gaol; and I received an order from the court to attend on the convicts there, which created so much trouble, that the grand jury increased my salary from 200/. to 300/. a year. Your salary is now 400/. a year ?— It is. What is the difference between the duties now to be performed and at the time of the first increase?— I think the duties now to be performed are six times greater than they were at the time of my first appointment, and four times greater than they were at the time of the first increase of my salary. Had you any relatives on the grand jury at either time ?— No, I had not. State the number of prisons that were under the management of the grand jury at the time of your appointment to the office, and the number of prisons under the management of the grand jury at present?— At the time of my appointment to the office of inspector, there were three prisons; the prison of Newgate, the sheriff's prison, and the city Marshalsea; there was likewise a bridewell in James's- street, in which there were about forty or fifty prisoners, most of them monthly prisoners, committed by the magistrates. What are the number of prisons now under your superintendence?— There are the three that 1 have mentioned in Green- street, Richmond bridewell at Harold's- cross in the circular road, and the Smithfield penitentiary in Smithfield. State the number of prisoners contained in the three prisons at the time of your first appointment, compared with the number of prisoners contained in the different gaols at present?— The three prisons in Green- street, I think, then contained— Newgate about 120, or from that to 150 ; the sheriff's prison, from 70 to 100; and the city Marshalsea, about 60. State the number at present?— Newgate contains 300 prisoners; the city Mar- shalsea contains about 60 ; the sheriff's prison about 60; Richmond bridewell about 300, on an average; and Smithfield penitentiary, on an average, about 150. What induced the grand jury to make the last increase to your salary ?— It vyas in consequence of a letter I received from the court of King's Bench that they in- creased it. 549. S Did Rev. P. R. Gamble. ( 9 May.)