§ MR. REDDYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that during the last shooting season a magistrate, with others, in the Midlands, was several times shooting partridge and other game over game dogs, to the knowledge of the police, without a game licence; whether in the same neighbourhood land grabbers, and the supporters of and sympathisers with land grabbers, were constantly shooting partridge and pheasants, to the knowledge of the police, without a game licence; can he say why the police took no notice and did not acquaint the excise officer of these breaches of the law; and whether instructions will be given to the police in King's County and Queen's County that no persons are to be permitted to defraud the revenue with impunity.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The hon. Member is mistaken in supposing that the police have any duty to discharge in respect of game licenses. They are, in fact, instructed that it is not their duty to inquire whether persons have such licences. The Inspector General, however, informs me that, so far as he can ascertain, no case has occurred in King's or Queen's County in which unlicensed persons have shot game to the knowledge of the police.