HC Deb 01 June 1905 vol 147 cc433-4
MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the police authorities have received complaints as to the maiming of horses in the Birmingham district; and whether, in view of the fact that valuable horses have been found with their manes and tails cropped off, he will state what steps the constabulary authorities are taking to discover the perpetrators of these outrages.

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I may refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for South Down yesterday.† This was that in the neighbourhood of Solihull, which is in the Birmingham district, the manes and tails of three horses were cut on the night of the 19th instant, and that a man was arrested on the following day and is now in custody on the charge of having committed these offences. I have no further information.

MR. FLYNN

asked if the Government did not think special legislation necessary to deal with outrages of this kind.

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I do not think it necessary.

MR. MACVEAGH

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in England last year there were seventy-eight cases of killing and maiming cattle? Is it not necessary to bring in a Bill to put down these atrocities?

MR. FLAVIN

Is the Constitution suspended in Birmingham and the district, or is this state of affairs the result of the fiscal campaign of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Birmingham?

MR. GORDON (Londonderry, S.)

Do jurics deal fairly with these cases in England?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I believe the administration of justice in England is sound.