1 2 , MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE „ „ , that annearect most questionable I went to. The others I thought could not be quesS buHhose that were questionable, to the amount of near 200, I went 2J^ 7T838. I, that I might be able to answer as to the rent pa. d, and as to the value m the city books, which is no criterion at all. . , A . , , 2- 87 When you heard that Mr. Young was going round to those houses did not you know or believe that it was with respect to the value t I believed he wanted to undervalue. . 2788. Then did you go for the purpose of giving evidence to meet that evi* dence of Mr. Young ?— Yes. , „ _ , . , . .. 2789. Then you went to add to the valuer— By no means; but to give the rents 1 2700 You went in order to enable you to give evidence of the value which you considered would be counter to the evidence of Mr. Young?— No; I went to get evidence of the rent paid, not of the value; because I know what the 101, fran- chise is; and I know that if the rent is 10 L, he would be entitled to register. 2791! Then as you went about not for the purpose of ascertaining the value, but for the purpose of seeing what rent was paid, would not the only rational mode of arriving at that fact have been to have seen either a lease or some such written document, or at least some receipt for the rent?— Surely it cannot be expected that I would have authority enough to ask any man to let me look at his lease, or to look at his receipt. 2792. Would you not have as much authority to ask a man to show you his lease or his receipt as to ask him to tell you what rent he paid?— By no means; it is a great difference. I might ask a man an obliging question as to his rent, but 1 would be going too far to ask him to show me his lease or his receipt. 2793. Would not you have been able to give more satisfactory evidence here to- day, if vou had seen his receipt or seen his lease?— I think I have as good a knowledge of houses and of value as the man himself. 2794. You did not, in this case, ask either to see his receipt or his lease?— In some cases I did not; not in this case. 279,5. Mr. Beamish.] Did not the parties produce leases at the time of their registry?— It was not necessary to produce a lease at the registry, nor a receipt, nor anything whatever; the barristers never require that; they require such evi- dence as to convince them that there was 10I. value. At the registry they were most severely contested in every case, and a host of witnesses brought up in many instances to disprove the value. We had to fight it inch by inch, and we did not get a single registry that we did not conquer upon a fair battle. 2796. \ ou think that the people you went to, to inquire the rent they paid, would tell you the truth ?— I am certain they would ; they had great confidence in me, and 1 am sure they would not deceive me. 2797- Chairman.] Was Mr, Buckley's registration opposed in 1832?— I cannot recollect, but I know every claimant that was brought up was opposed. 2798. Do you mean to say that there was no individual that claimed to be put upon the register in 1832, that was not opposed ?— Where the rent was only 10 I.; if a man had 30 I. or 40 /., the opposition was not so great. 2799. you know whether Buckley's rent was 13 I. in 1832 ?— It was. 2800. But you cannot state whether he was opposed?— I presume he was, from the lowness of his rent. 2801. Do you mean to say that every individual, whose house was of the value of 13 /. or thereabouts, was opposed ?— There were a great many. 2802. How did you come into possession of these rate- books?— The treasurer nad a number of them, and I had been repeatedly before the grand jury appealing on behalf of those poor rate- payers ; and that I might be more ready in producing them, 1 was furmshed with a set of the books by the treasurer. It saved me a vast deal of trouble, because by referring to the books we then immediately brin* the case before the grand jury; I had the books for that purpose, and I appealed on behalf of many householders to get off their rates. hJn8° 3; Y6" 6 ^ succJessful in those applications ?- Repeatedly; I had the in ad L ? the £ ra" d Jur? last ass'zes> and under the sanction of the foreman, Dound . Pm- ted retUrnS ° f " I300r and waste'" we flowed several hundred pounds at the last assizes. P0ve8rtv'nfThoat T the rndp, e UP0" Which >'° u made that redaction?— The C Neuen iamPar u5 ^ e11^ uestllon was f1 t0 discretion, in conjunction with Mr. Wenenham and Mr. Hallon, who were deputed to examine into the claims of those parties