210 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK II. 



These money-lenders settle in continually increasing 

 numbers in the towns where there is some little wealth ; 

 they advance only the half or two-thirds of the value of the 

 articles upon which they lend, and they reserve beforehand 

 the interest of 20 per cent. The borrower never comes to 

 reclaim his pledge, which is sold by auction at the end of 

 the year ; if there is any surplus, it belongs to the bor- 

 rower; but the witnesses say that there never is any, 

 for the lenders have a mutual understanding about pur- 

 chasing the goods, which they sell in their shops : this 

 enables the people to buy old clothes. 



The smallest sum advanced on loan is sixpence. 

 All the poor people are anxious for the establishment of 

 pawnbrokers, especially because their transactions are se- 

 cret, whilst those of other societies are public. 



The following statement was furnished to the Commis- 

 sioners of the persons who had lodged money in the sa- 

 vings'-bank of Roscrea : 



Large farmers 16 



Small farmers, holding from 10 to 50 acres 142 



Labourers 45 



Women 109 



Wholesale dealers 51 



Shopkeepers 34 



Servants 35 



Clerks, &c 13 



Deposits lodged by charitable institutions 10 



Total . 455 



One witness remarked that many of the labourers have 

 a garden of two or three acres, and that there are ten 

 small farmers for one large one. These labourers and small 



