§ MR. RIDSDALE (Brighton)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if a consignment of dog muzzles has been recently ordered by the Rhodesian Administration for the purpose of stamping out rabies among native dogs.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (MR. Churchill,) Manchester, N. W.It appears from the report of the Medical Director for 1906 that rabies, which first appeared in Southern Rhodesia in 1902, became more prevalent and more generally distributed in 1906 than in any previous year. Regulations were accordingly enacted with regard to the muzzling of dogs and other measures calculated to check the disease, and 20,000 muzzles have been ordered for distribution to natives. The Chief Native Commissioner of Matabeleland reports that the Matabele are much alarmed at the spread of the disease, and are killing off their own dogs in large numbers.
§ MR. RIDSDALEWas the consent of the native chiefs obtained before the order was given?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI do not know, but I do not suppose it would be possible to enforce the order without their co operation.