§ MR. ERNEST SPENCER (West Bromwich)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is in a position to announce the date of the withdrawal of the muzzling order for dogs.
§ MR. SKEWES-COX (Surrey, Kingston)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take with a view to early withdrawal of the Order relating to the muzzling of dogs?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Rt. Hon. W. H. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyThe withdrawal of the various Muzzling Orders now in force must necessarily depend upon the conditions which from time to time prevail in regard to rabies in the districts concerned, and it is, therefore, not possible for me to specify a date for such withdrawal in any particular case at the present time. I may, however, take this opportunity of stating that so far as our operations have 223 at present proceeded, we have met with even a greater measure of success than we might have anticipated, and there is no reason to doubt that, with patience on the part of the owners of dogs, and the co-operation of all concerned, we shall be able to secure the extirpation of rabies in this country.