404 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Richard Daly, Esq. 15110. The gentleman who has heen examined here?— Yes. 15111". And lie did his duty with great zeal and activity?— That he did; 17 July 1838. I consider he equalled Mr. Baker in the length of his cross- examinations. 15112. Mr. Howley, I believe, was on particularly good terms with the high Conservative families in the county ?— He was on very intimate terms with Lord Charleville, then Lord Tullamore, and Lord Rosse. 15113. Who succeeded Mr. Lisle ?— Mr. Gibson, the present registering b arn stcr. 15114. Has he made any difference in the question of registration from either of the other two ?— I could not discern any difference; he has strictly pursued the same line of registration that was adopted by his predecessors; indeed, I felt it my duty to notice to him, upon his first appearance, the line that was pursued by his predecessors. 15115. Was that in the presence of the opposite party?— It was in a great measure acquiesced in, particularly with regard to withholding the title- deeds of the claimant. 15116. Does Mr. Gibson give the same credit for labour, seed, and manure, that Mr. Cosgreave, Mr. Howley, and Mr. Lisle gave ?— He does ; for I hold in my hand a minute of evidence which I took in one case; I think it was of Michael Cassell. 15117. Do you know that minute to be accurate?— I do; I took it on the spot. 15118. It is in your own handwriting?— It is; it was a part of the evidence that the value of the straw generally covers the value of the labour, which shows that the value of the labour was an ingredient in the estimate of the franchise. 15119. A set- off against that was the value of the straw?— Yes; lam not very conversant with agricultural matters, but I believe it is generally the opinion in Ireland that the value of the straw is equivalent to the value of the labour. 15120. Chairman.] What was the name of the man who stated that?— Michael Cassell; I cannot say whether he was the claimant or the witness. 15121. Mr. O'Connell.) Have you a memorandum of the number of persons registered during the years 1834, 1835, 1836, and part of 1837 ?— I have. 15122. Now, taking the ratio of rejections by Mr. Gibson and Mr. Howley, how do they bear to each other ?— I think they are nearly in the same ratio ; this refers to the Philipstown sessions, Friday, 2/ th March 1835. 15123. How many did the barrister reject at that time?— At that sessions 4/ appeared. There was one admitted on the part of the Conservatives ; none rejected: of Reformers, as I have called them, there were admitted 30; rejected 16. 15124. Who was assistant barrister at that time ?— Mr. Howley. " At Birr, Tuesday, 25th October 1836, the number appeared as 67: Conservatives ad- mitted 4, rejected none: Reformers admitted 38, rejected 25." That was in Mr. Gibson's time; so that in fact the ratio of those rejected, in proportion to the number appearing, was nearly the same as the number rejected by Mr. Howley. 15125. That is, of the Liberals?— Yes; out of 67 he rejected 25 Liberals. Indeed, I have the very printed lists that were furnished by the clerk of the peace.—[ The same were handed in. J 15126. Now, in cases wherein the lease was not produced, did Mr. Gibson require strict evidence of the existence and contents of the lease?— In fact, I considered that where the lease was not produced, he required stricter evidence than even some of his predecessors, to account for its existence and non- production; and he laid it down, that where the counterpart was in the landlord's hands, though he might live perhaps 60 miles from the residence of the claimant, there should be evidence that every diligence had been resorted to by the claimant, prior to his appearance in the registry court, in order to obtain the counterpart from the landlord; and there are two or three cases which will illustrate that testimony of mine. 15127. Give the cases, and mention the sessions and place at which they were registered ?— The first was James Crowe. I I !< 15128. When did he register ?— On the 25th October 1826. 1 5 1 2 9 -