14S MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE djl". Dr. William Harty;. \ ^ J ( 12 May.) !! Do not vou think that the citizens of Dublin must have suffered very much by this " Teat increase ?— Beyond all question they must have suffered, but before they complained they ought to have inquired into the grounds for complaint; they very naturally would have inquired when they found the cess increase, then they should have inquired, what were the grounds of the increase; and the reasons of that increase appear by the warrants themselves. While the assessments have thus varied from year to year, sometimes more and sometimes less, how do you account for the ultimate and great increase ?— The ultimate and great increase which exists at present, and which must continue at the same rate for some time, depends upon the necessity of employing a greater number of prisons than formerly, of repairing all those prisons, paying a necessary increase of officers and servants, and of prosecuting and supporting an immensely increased number of criminal prisoners. IIow do you account for the assessment of 1821 ( the maximum year) exceeding that of 1822, by upwards of 2,000/. ?— In the year 1821, the Smithfield penitentiary was opened, producing an additional expense of nearly 2,000 I. so that the year 1822 fell short to that amount. Have you made any calculation as to the increase of committals to the gaol of Newgate?— J have taken a period of eighteen years, and divided it into intervals of six years each; in the first period, from 1805 to 1810 inclusive, the committals amounted to 4,474; in the second period of six years, from 1811 to 1816 inclusive, the committals amounted to 6,510; and in the last period of six years, from 1817 to 1822, they amounted to 11,882, being more, by nearly a thousand, than the whole preceding twelve years. Are the committals still on the increase?— From the returns I saw in Newgate of the committals, before my departure from Dublin, I would say, that if they go on for the remainder of the year at the same rate as during the first three months, they will amount to nearly 3,000 in the year. From what class of prisoners is the greatest expense incurred, from capital and and transportable criminals, or from those for a term of confinement?— Certainly from those who are under terms of confinement. What proportion do those convictions bear to each other, in each series of six years ?— I have made a calculation on that head, which will show that the prisoners for a term of confinement have increased ; thereby accounting also for an increased expenditure in the first series of six years alluded to, transportable offences formed one- ninth of the committals. In the'second period less than one- tenth, and in the third less than one- thirteenth; the executions were to the committals in the first series, as 1 to 131 ; in the second period they were, as 1 to 500 ; and in the third series as 1 to 850 ; in the last year there was not a single execution at Dublin. The confined prisoners, that is those for a term of confinement, were to the committals, in the first series as 13 to 15 ; in the second series as 1 if to 15; and in the third series as 10 to 11, showing a considerable increase in that'class of prisoners. Have you made an analysis of the assessments of any one year, under the several heads that you have already enumerated ?— I have made an analysis of the year 1822 under the several heads stated, so that I could enumerate to the Committee the positive amount of presentments under the different heads. Have the goodness to make out the minute and classified detail vou have men- tioned, and also of the several items under the several heads?— I can furnish the Committee with the precise amount of those presentments under the different heads and also a minute detail of the items under each head [ The witness was directed lo furnish the same.]