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Those too large to be entirely included in one expoaure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand comer, left to right and top to bottom, tm many framea aa required. The following diagrama illustrate the method: Lee cartea, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte A dee taux de rMuction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmA A partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 (COPY.) PRESENTMENT. -1 CANADA, COUNTT OF PbETH TO WIT : Court House, e-tratford, C. W. Grand Jury Room, 12th Sept., 1866 The QraDd Jury of our Sovereign Lady the Queen for the County of Perth, for the General Quarter Seaoions, held on the eleventh day of" September, 1866, on their oath present tm follows : — We have examined the cases laid before us by the County Crown Attorney, and have the honour to present from the infor- mation laid before us by that gentleman, that the services of a detective for this County are imperatively required, for the detection and punishment ot criminals. In compliance with the charge from the Bench, the Grand Jury have made a care- ful investigation of the County Buildings They have the honour to present as follows : — On the west wing of the Court House, occupied by the Sheriflf. Deputy Clerk ot the Crown, C. C. Court, Clerk Surrogate Court, County Treasurer, (Merk of the Peace, and the Clerk of the County Coun- cil, your Grand Jury found insufficient accommodation for these offices, and recent events have shown that the books and papers of the county and individuals, kept of record in those offices, are in the most unsafe state, when it is remembered that in those offices are kept all the valuable documents belonging to the county; wills deposited by private individuals ; all the monetary transactions connected with the office of the Sheriff; the records of the civil tind criminal courts, as well as the proceed- ings of the county councils since the formn- lion of the 'jounty. It is a matter ol astoniwluiient io the Gnmd Jury that such a state oi' thing.^ should be allowed to exist for such a lengthened period. The Grand Jury have had before them the Ccuntv Treasurer, Deputy Clerk ot the Crown, and tlie Clerk of the County Coun- cil. All these officers complain, with thi' modation for the decencies of life. Gen- erally two and sonietinies three rooms are required for Petit Jurois. There is now but one. Your Grand J ury agree with the Bench that rooms should bo provided for constables and those compelled to attend at court. They would also direct aftentii n to the very serious fact, that the Crown Attorney has no f)laee for the safe kccpinj; of the numerous papers placed in his cus tody the present incumbent of that office being com|ielled to refuse a large aooumu lation of criminal papers now in the hands of His Honor the County Judge. There IS no room for the Judges of Assize or the Judgesof the Court of Chaneery when on circuit. The only room that can be used for that purpose is a small and very iniide quate apartment, set apart fr the County Judge. Your Grand Jury find that there is no proper accom modation for witnesses, and the result is delay and expense to individuals and thi coutity. Your Grand Jury present that the water closets in connection with tht Court House are in a disgraceful condition, and would direct thereto the attention ol the Board of Health. In reference to thd County Jail, your Grand Jury have to thank the Bench for its able and elaborate charge on the past md I resent history of that institution. Thi- Grand Jury but expre; . the opinion of the public and the long settled conviction of the Kxecutive Government, in presenting the Jail of the County ot Perth as perhaps the most unfit building in Upper Canada in- tended for jail purposes. It is void of the two essential requisites for such a building — the safe custody of prisonera, and a due regard lor their health and that of the public. Since the month of June last, a violent type of typhoid fever has bfcn raging within its walls, from whence this terrible disease has spread as from a pest-house into the town and into the neighboring townships. A number of deaths have al ready occurred, and there is every reason Council to a sense of their duty. So far, that body has failed to do anything in the matter. Acting on the opinion of the Jail Surgeon that an examination of the jai! in its present infected state would be danger- ous, your Grand Jury refrained from a perso, ul inspection ; but they have had before them the books of the Jailor, and liave, also examined that officer a.>» to the condition of the premises. His evidence agrees with presentments of former Grand Juries, and the reports of the Government Inspectors. Your Grand Jury cannot conclude this portion of their presentment without re marking on the arduous duties that have levolved on the keeper of the jail for the I ist six months, during which period he has lone all in his power to keep the premises in a sanitary state, and alleviate the suffer- ings of its inmates. He has himself been three tinies stricken with the fever, and all the members of his family have been at- tacked by it at various timeg. From his •vidence, it appears that owing to the un- safe condition of the cells, he is compelled I » • lackle untried prisoners— pensions who ill the eyes of the law are innccent of any crime. Your Grand Jury have perused with pleasure, the correspondence submitted to them, in reference to the Law Library of the County of Elgin, and the proposal to establish a somewhat similar one for this county. It would appear from that cor- respondence that a very small annual con- tribution would secure for the magistrates and county officials the niosi necessary books and reports required in the adminis- tration of justice, an! they would respect- fully recommend the subject to the consid- eration of the County Council. (Signed), J. S. GARNER, Foreman. A true copy. John J. E. Linton. Clk. Peace, Co. Perth. evidence of the different Government In- spectors since the year 1863_, and fi"d "'jtember r2th) that vear the County Council were notified ^ ' mil iiii' "-""J u...v/v...^v., ... — .. exception ot the Clerk "of the County to believe that unless promp measures are Council, of the insufficiency and insecure at once taken, more lives ml be sacrificed slate of their offices. With reference to to the criminal apathy of the County Coun- the County Treasurer, so wretched is thOjCil i" this m-itter. accommodation, that he feels compelled to j Yom Grand Jury, have perused the remove to another building ; and under the; circumstances your Grand Jury believe j he is only doing his duty to the public and the County. In the enst wing of the building are sui> posed to be t!;e requisite offices immediately connected with the administration of civil and criminal justice, but like these in the west wing, they are equally insufficient for the purposes for which they were intended. The only room that can now be occupied by Pitit Jurors is an apartment so small, that it is with difficulty twelve men can find standing room in it. There are no chairs ; in fact, oo proper furniture for the room. This insufficient accomuiodation for jurors must result in very evil conse- . ;« iUn n/Itnintafrutinn nf !iiatinf> It cannot be expected that jurors will remHin for hours, perhaps for a day and night, without even the necessary accom- At the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County of Perth, held at Stratford in the month of September, 1866,— His Worship D. H. Lizars, Esquire, Chairman, and others, presiding: The following orders were made (Sep- tiiat unless measures were adopted by them for the construction of a new jail, the Government would be compelled to take action, and force the County Couiicil to do its duty in the premises. In the summer of 1864. the jail was formally condemned by the Board of Inspectors, and a pledge appears to have been given by the County Council thai a new jail would be at once erected. How many lives might have been saved, how much anxiety to the community might have been avoided, had that pledge been fulfilled ? The jail was again inspect- ed in December 1864, and was again con- demned for its faulty and dangerous condi- tion. From that time to the present, the Government Inspectors and Grand Juries have endeavored to awaken the County The Grand Jury came into Court atid made a Prfsentmcnt, which was read in open Court, and copies of the same ordered to be sent lay the Clerk of the Peace to the Provincial Secretary, the Sheriff of this County, and to the Warden of this County." The Magistrates order that a copy of the Presentment of the Grand Jury at this sitting of the Court of Quarter Sessions be printed, and a copy thereof sent to each Municipal Councillor and the Clerk of each Council in the County, in addition to the copies required to be sent to the Provincial Secretary. &o.' Tr!!^v f*5!trs£*-tGii bv JOHN J. E.LINTON, Clk. Peace, Co. Perth. ;