§ MR. HOPWOODasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will state how many prosecutions have been instituted to the present time in respect of dog licences; whether any notice is ordered by the Inland Revenue authorities to be given before prosecuting; and, whether he would consider the advisability of advertising the time for renewing these and similar licences in some way more likely to attract public attention than affixing notices to church doors and police stations?
§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSONThe number of prosecutions ordered during the present year for omissions to take out dog licences is 17,804. Notice of the time for renewing dog licences is given to all persons previously licensed by a note on the face of the licence. Those who are not known to the Inland Revenue officers—not having been previously licensed—cannot possibly receive notice individually; but notices—besides those on church doors and at police stations—are posted at Inland Revenue offices and at post offices, and advertisements are inserted in the local newspapers; 480 such advertisements in 114 different newspapers were published, at 324 a cost of £315, in the month of January, warning all persons concerned that the time had come for taking out establishment and dog licences.