V 76 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE Mr. G. Gardiner. I term fictitious votes, which I know to have been created by false swearing, and held by persons that have not a sufficient interest or a sufficient title, is 30 March 1838. fj. aUght with the greatest evil, in encouraging perjury. 80 51 Have you witnessed any cases at any of those registry sessions 111 which, to your own knowledge, the circumstances were such that the claimant must have been conscious that he was swearing to what was not correct?— I have been often present when persons have been very unwillingly and reluctantly sworn, that had been previously rejected for want of sufficient value ; but in consequence of the interference of political parties, and the influence that has prevailed over them, they have often been obliged to swear up to a higher value afterwards. 8052. Have you known any persons reproved or insulted for not swearing to the full extent of the value requisite in many cases ?— I have ; I have known a case where a claimant was two or three times rejected, and I memorialized twice for him to his landlord to get an abatement; he did not get an abate- ment, and he was pressed afterwards to register in March 183/. 8053. And did swear up ?— He did. 8054. Was the ground of his endeavouring to get an abatement, that the rent he paid was too high ?— He paid 32 s. an acre rent, and he promised if he got an abatement to 25 s., that he would register; but he did not get any abate- ment. 8055. And he registered notwithstanding ?— He did. 8056. Having been rejected before?— Three times before. 8057. And you think that was done under the pressure of influence and excitement ?— I do. 8058. Mr. M. J. O'Connell'] Has that claimant ever voted?— He was not registered in time sufficient to vote at the last election. 8059. Mr. Lefroy.] Do you perceive any inconvenience arising from the names upon the register being merely put alphabetically, and not being classed in reference to the neighbourhood from which they come ?— If the county was divided into districts^ so as to convenience the public, it would be of advantage. 8060. Have not the claimants now to wait a great length of time, and often at considerable expense, particularly at a general registry, for their names being called?— At the general registry the claimants were often obliged to wait a fortnight. 8061. If the names were put on the list, with reference to the town- lands or districts, as well as being alphabetically, so that each man would know about what time his own turn would come on, would it not be a great convenience and a great saving of expense ?— It would be a great convenience at the general registry, but the time that the registry at each quarter sessions takes is generally one or two days. 8062. Would it not also facilitate the investigation of the title of the claim- ant, and his qualification ?— It would; because when the claimant would be advertised in the district in which he lived, it would give an opportunity to per- sons that took an interest to investigate the claim of that person. 8063. A witness then could speak as to several claimants?— A witness who had a local knowledge of the claimant's situation and his district, would be a great deal better enabled to speak as to the value of his holding and his title. 8064. Mr. M. J. O'Connell.] Facilities would be afforded both ways, both for the putting bona fide claimants upon the register and for the prevention of im- proper claimants ?— There would. 8065. Are you in the habit of attending the quarter sessions ?—' Yes. 8066. Is there not great inconvenience to suitors in the quarter sessions court by reason of the uncertainty as to what time the registry will take up ?— There is often great inconvenience. 8067. Are not the suitors for small debts often detained two or three days in the sessions town through that cause ?— They are frequently ; the barrister has to wait two days before he can enter upon the civil- bill cases. 8068. Do not you think that the time of the registry should be distinct from that of the quarter sessions ?— It would be better if a certain time were set apart for the business of registration apart from the civil business and the Crown business. 8069. Mr. Lefroy.] It could be done so much more deliberately as well as conveniently to the parties ?— Yes; but a frequent revision of the register is more