§ MR. LONSDALEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether there has been an increase in the revenue derived from the issue of gun licences in Ireland during the past two years; if so, in what counties such increase has taken place; and whether the increase generally is commensurate with the increase in the 504 number of firearms throughout the country at the present time as compared with 1906.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Inland Revenue authorities inform me that the revenue from gun licences in Ireland for the year ending 31st March last was £9,814 as compared with £9,543 in the preceding year, and £9,397 in the year before that. The increase in the last two years, however, is, I am informed, considerably below the average annual increase for the past ten years. The returns of the inland revenue authorities do not show the revenue from gun licences by counties. There is no means of arriving at a comparison between the number of firearms in the country now and in 1906.