§ MR. McKILLOP (Armagh, S.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland what is the practice in the petty sessions districts of Holywood, Bangor, and New-townbreda with regard to the stamping of dogs' licences where more than one dog appears in one licence; what is the practice in these districts as to the cancellation of stamps; whether the number of dogs licenced in the above districts corresponded during the present and preceding year with the stamps affixed to the licences issued; whether 176 the petty sessions clerk of the districts duly accounted, and, if so, when did he account; and whether the petty sessions clerk of these districts, in his accounting statement for these years, set forth such particulars as would show the instances in which he did not affix stamps in respect of dogs licenced, and the instances in which he only affixed stamps for one dog on licenses in which more than one dog appeared.
§ MR. CHERRYThe Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks informs me that every petty sessions clerk is charged each year with the number of stamps which should have been placed on dog licences, as shown in the Register of Dog Licences. In this register is shown the number of licences issued and the number of dogs in each licence. The number of stamps paid for by the petty sessions clerk of Holy-wood, Bangor, and Newtownbreda, agrees with the number of licences issued and dogs licensed in the years 1905 and 1906. The petty sessions clerk was absent at Quarter Sessions during some days of the dog licensing period and the person acting for him neglected to affix a second dog stamp in some cases in which two dogs appeared in the same licence. The clerk subsequently returned to the head office dog stamps amounting to £4 12s. 0d., stating that these were on his hands, in excess of the proper amount. He had already been charged for these stamps and they were destroyed. All stamps affixed to dog licences should be cancelled on issue, but it is impossible to use them a second time under any circumstances.