§ MR. WHITMORE (Chelsea)I beg ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can state what further progress has been made since his statement in May last with the eradication of rabies in England?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyI am happy to say that the position in regard to rabies continues to improve, only three oases having been reported in the nine weeks which have elapsed since my honourable Friend's last Question on this subject, as compared with 25 in the corresponding period of last year. During the 31 weeks of the present year we have had only 14 cases as compared with 103 in 76 the corresponding period of 1897, and 369 in that of 1896.
§ MR. COGHILL (Stoke-upon-Trent)Will the right honourable Gentleman be prepared to allow dog owners to make a declaration before a magistrate of "conscientious objection" to muzzling?
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