§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has received a communication from the North Wales Federations of Meat Traders asking that the sheepdogs of meat traders shall be exempted from taxation, as allowed to farmers; and whether he will favourably consider their application.
§ *MR RITCHIEI cannot promise to introduce legislation in the direction suggested. There are weighty objections even to the present exemptions from Dog Licence duty, as the hon. member will see on reference to the Report of the Committee on Laws relating to Dogs (C. 8320 of 1896), and any proposal to extend the exemptions would, I am satisfied, meet with considerable opposition. Moreover, the produce of the duty goes to local authorities, and I am not sure that I should be justified in depriving them of a part of this revenue.