§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the west division of the County of Wicklow is an almost entirely mountainous country, whose inhabitants live mainly by sheep farming; and that the Muzzling Order to be issued on the 1st of July will seriously interfere with the business of the sheep farmers; and whether, in view of the losses which will be caused to sheep owners by the Muzzling Order, he will make the exception 638 in favour of sheep dogs which is to be made in regard to sporting dogs?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe exception made by the Muzzling Order in favour of sporting dogs applies only when such dogs are being exercised or used for sporting purposes, and in charge of competent persons. It must also be observed that the Order requires that all dogs, except sporting dogs on these special occasions, shall be muzzled in or on any public place which includes garden or pleasure ground or other place to which the public have access. No exemption in favour of sheep dogs has been made in the Muzzling Orders issued by the English Board of Agriculture, and my right hon. Friend the President of that Board, who was recently questioned on the subject, stated that the result of inquiries made by him went to show that no really serious inconvenience is caused by requiring sheep dogs to be muzzled in districts where such a measure is necessary, and that the exemption of such dogs from the operation of the Orders would seriously impair the efficiency of the Orders, and render necessary their continuance for a longer period than, it was hoped, would otherwise be requisite. I see no sufficient ground for making an exemption from the Order in favour of sheep dogs in Ireland.
§ MR. JAMES O'CONNORasked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that there were more sporting dogs than sheep dogs in the County of Wick-low, and whether, in that case, he did not think that it would be more dangerous to leave the majority of the dogs un-muzzled than to leave the minority unmuzzled?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is a matter of opinion.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that sheep dogs could not do their work unless they were able to bite the sheep?
§ [No answer was given.]