\ y c SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. , ^ j / J / j 39 » 3; And nevertheless he took 25 minutes to get out the word « municipal"?- Mr. D. Meagher. It was the crossest word that the Legislature could have put in ' 1 3914. Do you think it would be of very great advantage with respect to those 28 Februar>' , g38 letters in which there are a very large number of electors, the initial letters of whose names belong to a particular letter, not only to have them divided so as to have proper polling places, but likewise that it would be well to arrange them with refer- ence to the districts they inhabited, the parishes or townlands ?— I think so 3915. Do not you think it would facilitate the examination of the rights of per- sons claiming to register, if a proper classification was made with reference to their places of abode ?— 1 think it would be desirable, in order to arrive at the truth 3916. Your object would be to get at the truth, and to get at the real bond fide qualification of the party tendering himself to register ?— Yes ; I say most sin- cerely that I would not wish to get any person upon the register who had not a good right. 3917. And you think it would tend to that to have them classified when they gave their notices for registering, and afterwards to have them classified for the purpose of voting at the elections?— Frauds could be more easily discovered if any were about to be practised. 3918. Would not it facilitate the operations of both sides in investigating, and diminish the expense, to have that classification made ?— I think it would. 3919. As it stands now, in order to make any effectual check, you are obliged to have a greater number of persons to watch and check than you would otherwise require - Yes. 3920. And you would strongly approve of an alteration in the law in that respect ?— I would. 3921. Would not that tend to diminish the number of fictitious votes?— It would be more easily discovered if any man came up to register fictitiously. 3922. It would have the advantage of diminishing the expense and shortening the time, and securing a more bona fide constituency ?— It would ; and if I might surest a registry in the city instead of going 30 or 40 miles off, there would be better checks in the city than by going 20 miles to Ferinoy, and to Canturk, or Mallow, or Middleton. There may be a point arise upon which one could get a witness in the city, whereas for the loss of that witness an improper man may pass. 3923. Would not you extend that observation to those who were candidates for registering in the county ?— I would have the county registries in the immediate neighbourhood where the people are. 3924. As it now stands, a man may have to travel to a very remote place?— Yes~ he may have to go 60 miles. I have seen them coming in an immense dis- tance. It is not to be expected that people can come a distance of 40 or 50 miles to register. 3925. Upon the other hand, if a fraudulent person were disposed to get himself upon the register without having a qualification, it would be a very obvious re- source for him, instead of giving notice to register in his immediate sessions town, to give notice 50 or 60 miles off?— I think that the present mode acts as an encouragement to persons of that description. Mr. John Colburn, called in; and further Examined. 3926. Mr. Beamish.] HAVE you made out a list of the non- resident freemen My. John Colburn. appearing upon the registry ?— I have. 3927. What is the number?— Three hundred and eighty- five I find appearing upon the books. 3928. How many of those polled at the last election ?— One hundred and eighty- four'of them voted at the election of 1837. 3929. Have you attached to their names their residences ?— Yes. 3030. Will you hand in that list ? [ The Witness delivered in the same: vide Appendix.] 3931. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] Have you any doubt that a large number of those non- resident freemen are persons that have succeeded to the freedom in right ot birth ?— A great many. 3932. Mr. Beamish.] Can you state, how ma^ vP- I cannot say h° wmany.^