38 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE H.
B.
Fairtlough.
the Lord Lieutenant repeatedly, and I am afraid it is too late for relief on that
Esq.
head.
553-Would you have the government take the expense of collection ?—The
19 May 1836.
whole of the county expenses.
554.
Mr.
French.]
You do not mean the 9 d.
in the pound paid to the collectors, but that they shall actually take the payment on themselves?—Yes.
555.
Sir Edmond Hayes.]
If the government pay out of the consolidated fund these different charges, you think they ought to impose a tax ?—Yes.
556.
Mr.
Plunkett.]
Do you know whether Drogheda is differently circum¬ stanced as to the assessments from other counties of towns ?—I
believe we are peculiarly circumstanced from our limited extent and our county establishment, which is equal nearly to all other Counties.
557.
What benefit do you derive from the Richmond Lunatic Asylum in Dublin ?—It
is our county asylum.
558.
How are the appointments to this asylum made ?—By
the Lord Lieu¬ tenant.
559.
How are the applications from Drogheda made ?—Do
you mean the transmission of lunatics ?
560.
No.
Are you allowed to have any applications from Drogheda ?—As
many as we pay for.
561.
Mr.
French.]
They are sent by the magistrates?—The
charge is in pro¬ portion to the number of patients.
562.
Captain Jones.]
Do you contribute to the lunatic asylum in proportion -to the number of patients you have there ?—Yes.
563.
And not beyond that?—No.
With respect to the lunatic asylum, we are so heavily taxed that latterly the public are suffering, for we have persons who ought not to be in our streets, but the magistrates feel a delicacy in send¬ ing them, from the great expense.
564.
What number of lunatics do you maintain in the Richmond asylum at this moment ?—I
believe we have only three at present.
565.
At what expense a year?—I
think they charge about 20/.
a year.
566.
For each of them ?—Yes,
for each.
It appeared to us to be heavy.
567.
Mr.
French.]
You are aware that you are obliged to pay your portion of the expenses of the establishment, whether you send a lunatic there or not ?—
No, we paid our proportion for the alteration of the establishment.
568.
Is there any other public institution in Drogheda of which you conceive the expense might be diminished, that is assessed by the grand jury ?—We
do not complain so much of the salaries, as of the great grievance that we are the only payers.
569.
Chairman] You seem to think it would be rather a hard case upon the property if the assessment was made on an equable valuation, instead of being, as it is now, an acreable assessment.
Do you not think the inhabitants of the towns would also complain if there was an assessment on the houses, according to their value ?—Yes,
there would be a difficulty where there are leases.
570.
Are you aware that, under the new Valuation Act, the houses are valued, and that all the houses above the value of 3/.
a year are to be valued at the rent they would let for, deducting one-third?—No.
571.
And to pay their proportion to the county assessment accordingly ?—I
am not aware of that fact.
572.
Sir Edmond Hayes.]
If that is the case, would it not relieve land from the hardship of which you complain at present?—Decidedly.
573.
Chairman.]
Has the county of the town of Drogheda been yet sur¬ veyed ?—
Yes.
574.
Have there been any valuators yet appointed?—No.
57=;.
Captain Jo?ies.]
If this change were adopted, do you think it would be satisfactory to Drogheda, or that they seek further change ?—We
consider our limits too confined for the establishment of a gaol.
576.
Even though the houses were to bear a proportion of the expense, you still think you no longer ought to be charged for the establishment of the office of clerk of the Crown and clerk of the peace ?—We
do.
577.
Mr.
French.]
Do you think there would be any inconvenience to the county of the town if this peculiar establishment were withdrawn altogether,
and
