[Appendix A(64) 1792 Report of Commissioners of Inquiry]

N° 64.

The EXAMINATION of Mr. JAMES BANCKS, taken at Douglas, in the Isle of Man, the 29th Day of September 1791.

Examined by the Duke of Atholl.

This Examinant saith, That he is a proprietor of land in this island, and posseded of six quarter lands. in 1763 he was appointed a Moar of the parish of Conchan, and collected forty shillings as Carriage Money for that parish for the Receivers of the Lord of the island, and paid it at Castle Rushen to the Receiver General of the Isle of Man, Mr. Daniel Mylrea; the carriages he received were four-six-pences for every quarter land, six-pence for every cottage or intack-holder; and he sent a list of those who would not pay to the Receiver General.

Cross-examined by the Keys.

He does not know how many, but believes that fourteen or fifteen of the great men of Douglas refused to pay. There are about forty-eight quarter lands in the parish of Conchan, which aré Lord's Lands, besides Abbey Land. He believes the number of cottage and intack-holders in this parish, is nearly equal to the number of quarter lands. Since the year 1765 no carriage labour has, to his knowledge, been performed in kind in his parish. He does not know that since 1766 any money payments have been made in his parish in lieu of this carriage labour; he has not paid any himself.

Re-examined by the Duke of Atholl.

He does not know that there are any other services payable out of Lord's Lands except these carriages. He thought by the Act of Settlement the Lord had a right to these carriages. He looks upon the Act of Settlement as the tenure of the island,

Cross-examined by the Keys.

He kept a tally for the Lord's Rent, but none: for these Carriage Services, which were separate payments. He cannot tell whether the Carriage Money was applied to the Lord or the Governor ; the Receiver General issued precepts for him to pay in the Lord's Rent, in which precepts the Boon money was included. He has not been brought up to the profesion of the law in this island. He cannot tell whether payment was enforced from the fourteen or fifteen persons who refused the payment of these Carriage Services ; that some quarter lands in his parish are very high, some very from 10 or 12 tO 100l, per annum.

JAMES BANCKS.

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