SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. 111 c 8631. Chairman.] In this case no evidence was given in favour of the vote ?— Indeed, I believe at the time they thought it quite useless; the witnesses that were over told me so. 8632. Did not the counsel in favour of the vote say that he should offer no evidence in support of it?— I believe I was the only one to give evidence; and I was obliged to return to Ireland. 8632*. Mr. Curry.] When did you value his farm?— In April 183/. 8633. According to your judgment would a solvent tenant have given 10/. a year for that farm above the rent which the man paid for it ?— Certainly. 8634. What kind of land is it ?— It is some of as good land as there is in that barony; some of the best land in the barony. 8635. Had it good buildings on it ?— Very excellent for a farm of that de- scription. 8636. What stock had he ?— He had five cows when I went there, a horse, a dray, and two pigs. 8637. Understanding as you do the meaning of " beneficial interest," what beneficial interest do you think he had yearly in that farm ?— I should think not less than 50 /., it might be more. This man has sold his letting since. 8638. Chairman.] When did you see this farm ?— I pass by very often. 8639. When wrere you upon it when you saw his five cows ?— In April 1833. 8640. How can you say that it was worth the same money in 1837 ?— The man sold his interest about a year ago. 8641. If you were only upon the farm in 1833, how can you say that it was worth as much money in 1837 as in 1833 ?— I would say it was worth more money in 1837 ; property has advanced since. 8642. Then you mean to state that upon this 14 acres of land there was a beneficial interest of 50 /. a year ?—' Yes ; that that land is capable of producing a beneficial interest of 50 /. a year. 8643. Deducting the rent and charges, and everything else?— Certainly. He has sold his interest in it since at 75 /. 8644. Mr. Hogg.] According to your ideas of " beneficial interest," what do you consider your own beneficial interest to be in the five acres for which you pay three guineas an acre ?— I would value my own beneficial interest at 30 /. a year, because I consume all the articles myself. 8645. Then, according to your idea of " beneficial interest," under the Reform Act, a man having a couple of acres of land at three guineas an acre, if the land was tolerably good, would have a good 10 /. beneficial interest under the Reform Act ?— No, by no means; I say that I made last year out of this five acres hold- ing about 15/. profit, without deducting any expenses. 8646. From your last answer but one, it appears that you consider that a tenant having two good acres of land, at three guineas an acre, would have a 10/. beneficial interest under the Reform Act ?— No, two acres would be too low. 8647. Then if he had three acres, at two guineas and a half an acre, of tole- rably good land, would you consider that as giving him a good 10 /. beneficial interest, according to your ideas of the Reform Act ?— I would not. 8648. Will you state what quantity of land ?— I think it would be hard for a man to have a beneficial interest at less than five acres. 8649. If you derive a beneficial interest of 20/. from five acres, at two guineas, would not the half of that give a beneficial interest of at least 10/. ?— I consume all the articles myself. 8650. Assuming your own measure of beneficial interest, does not it neces- sarily follow, that, if you have a beneficial interest of 30 /. from five acres, a man holding two and a half of your own acres, at your own rent of three guineas, would have at least 10 /. ?— In many cases, with five acres, he would. 8651. Then, do you consider that, under the Reform Act, a man having five acres of tolerably good land, at three guineas an acre, would have a 10/. bene- ficial interest ?— Decidedly; but this is some of the best land; there is not better land in the neighbourhood than the land that I hold. 8652. Taking your own criterion of beneficial interest, would a person holding- five acres of good land, at three guineas an acre, have a 10/. beneficial interest under the Reform Act, in your opinion ?— I think he wTould. 8653. Chairman.] Do you mean by " beneficial interest" whatever a man derives from the occupation, without reference to his own living 01* his own 643. N 4 labour?