§ Mr. ELLIS DAVIES (Carnarvonshire, Eifion)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether magistrates, in granting exemptions under The Dogs Act, 1906, are acting in an administrative capacity only; whether he is aware that the Carnarvon magistrates refuse an exemption to all holding less than six acres of land, whilst in another division the refusal is only to those holding less than two acres, though the tenants in each case have sheep and cattle and exercise grazing rights on the common; and whether, in view of the fact that exemptions have been granted in the past 877 without objection, he will, with a view to secure uniformity in the administration of the Act, give instructions that exemptions be granted on the same principle as heretofore.
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI beg leave to answer this Question on behalf of my hon. friend. I have no information as to the practice referred to, but if my hon. friend will let me know which are the (benches of magistrates to which he refers, I will make inquiry.