§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether, in view of the prevalence of rabies and of the frequent cases of hydrophobia in various parts of Ireland, he will urge upon the Lord Lieutenant the necessity of issuing a general muzzling order for the whole of Ireland?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe prevalence of rabies has engaged, for some time past, the serious attention of 1180 the Veterinary Department. The local authorities are empowered by an Order in Council to make regulations for the muzzling of dogs in their respective districts, and the Veterinary Department has used every effort to induce the local authorities to exercise their powers. Circulars were issued to the local authorities in July and September 1895, and again in February last, pressing them to adopt a Uniform Code of Muzzling Regulations, and a specimen set of Regulations was sent for their guidance. Regulations are at present in force in 83 Unions. It is hoped that the remaining local authorities may be induced to make similar regulations, and thus secure, by their voluntary action, the desired result.