HC Deb 21 February 1867 vol 185 cc780-1

Order for Second Reading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Hunt.)

MR. ALDERMAN LUSK

said, he hoped it was intended to enforce in every case the payment of the Excise licence of 5s. Dogs in towns were, for the most part, a very great nuisance. In every town there were a number of people who could not keep themselves, yet who kept a dog, and who at present evaded the duty. Many cases had come before him as a magistrate in which the dogs of such persons had bitten poor children, and he only regretted that the owners belonged to a class who could not be made to give compensation. Only a little while ago the child of a poor widow had come before him with a badly lacerated leg, the result of the bite of a dog. If the new duty of 5s. were rigidly enforced in every case, it would be a great protection to the poor.

MR. BARROW

hoped there would be no exemption in the case of puppies.

MR. READ

said, he was gratified to elicit from the Secretary to the Treasury the other night that no exemption would be allowed. The farmers were quite willing to give up the exemption they at present enjoyed for shepherds' dogs. He was only sorrow that ladies' lap-dogs and sporting dogs were to be kept at the same rate as the more useful class of shepherds' dogs and rat-catchers' dogs.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.