11. Major NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will ascertain if permission to use a shot-gun for the protection of their crops has been applied for and refused to several farmers in the neighbourhood of Cork and Kinsale; whether as a result extensive damage has been done to their crops; and will the Irish Government direct that permission to use a shot-gun shall not be withheld from farmers with an extensive acreage under cultivation and who are known to the authorities as loyal and law-abiding men?
§ Mr. SHORTTAs regards the first and last parts of the question, permits for the use of shot-guns have only been refused where the police authorities were satisfied that the applicants were unable or unwilling to prevent the arms from falling into the hands of ill-disposed persons. The preservations of crops is an important con-consideration, and it is hoped that a diminution in the cases of raiding will justify the grant of a larger number of permits in the future.