§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)On behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he explain why veterinary inspectors employed by the local authorities in Ireland, and acting under the orders and powers of the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council Office, Dublin Castle, when using guns for the destruction of animals suffering from rabies or other diseases, are compelled to take out licences as required by the Gun Licence Act of 1870, whereas water bailiffs, who are the private employees of local boards of conservators, are exempted by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue from taking out the 10s. licences imposed by the Act; and whether he will consider the expediency of exempting the veterinary inspectors from paying the licence duty when acting in the execution of their duty.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. G. W. BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central; I have very little information as to the use of guns by veterinary inspectors, though I believe these inspectors have on rare occasions used a gun for the purpose mentioned in the question. Animals suffering from rabies are, in nearly all cases, destroyed by the police; and swine condemned for swine fever are, as a general rule, killed by butchers. The Board of Inland Revenue, upon representations made by the Irish Government some years ago, consented to exempt from payment of duty all water bailiffs who carried guns in the execution of their duty and for self-protection. It 72 does not appear that any sufficient reason exists for extending a similar exemption to veterinary inspectors; but if the hon. Member will name particular cases in which an inspector has been called upon to take out a licence for using a gruff for the destruction of animals suffering from disease, inquiry will be made into the matter.