CLAUSE 14.—(Application to Ireland.) (Hansard, 14 May 1918)

§ Mr. ARCHDALE
I beg to move, in Sub-section (2, a), to leave out the word "thoroughbred" ["thoroughbred stallion"].
By Section 1 a stallion in England which does not want a licence has to remain at the buildings. We want to make that a little bit stronger in Ireland, and, therefore, this Section was added, but it puts in the word "thoroughbred" stallion which is "entered in any prescribed stud-book if used for the service of none but thoroughbred mares so entered or mares approved by the Department." The word "thoroughbred" is unnecessary, and by leaving it out a man may bring in a valuable Clydesdale mare or a mare and it may be used by a stud-book animal of that particular breed. The Department in Ireland are anxious to have this inserted, and I think it will be greatly to the benefit of the Act.

§ Mr. PROTHERO
I am prepared to accept this Amendment on behalf of the Irish Office.

§ Mr. WATT
I would like to call attention on this Clause to the fact that Ireland is treated very lightly in this measure, much more lightly than England or Scotland, and naturally I object to that. I do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman has noticed this fact, that the penalty under this Section in Ireland only applies to those who use stallions or permit them 320 to be used for stud purposes. There is no question of exhibiting them in public places or shows or markets. Why should Ireland be treated well and be excluded from these drastic measures which are applied to England and Scotland?

§ Mr. ARCHDALE
All stallions in Ireland have to be licensed except thoroughbreds.

§ Mr. WATT
The penalty, as the hon. Member will admit, for exhibiting them— it is the point to which I have objected again and again—at any market, show, or in any public place does not apply to Ireland, and I object to measures being more drastic when applied to my own country than when applied to Ireland. I do not know why Ireland should be made the spoilt child of the Legislature, as she really is. It gives me an extra argument regarding the point to which I have already drawn attention, namely, the inclusion of these objectionable words, seeing that is not done in the Irish Clause.

§ Sir F. BANBURY
It seems to me that Ireland is certainly to be in a privileged position. Not that I object to that, because it is what I always expected would happen. I was rather surprised that Ireland was not put in an exceptional position to begin with. I understand that by leaving out this word the result will be that a stallion—he may be a shire, a hackney, or a Clydesdale stallion in any prescribed stud-book—may be used for a Clydesdale, a shire, or a hackney mare without having a licence. That is not so in England if he travels, but in Ireland he can travel provided he is entered in a stud-book, and provided he is only used for mares also entered in a stud-book. That is, comparatively speaking, such a minor privilege to give to Ireland that, personally, I am rather glad we have got off with so little. I am rather surprised that we were not asked that the Bill should not apply to Ireland at all. I am not at all sure, if my hon. Friend had been a little more courageous and not quite so modest, he would not have got Ireland altogether exempted. In fact, I am not sure I would not advise him to try on the Report stage.

§ Mr. ARCHDALE
I do not want to.

Sir F. BAN BURY
Then Ireland wants to get all the advantages and none of the disadvantages. There are some advantages to be got out of the Bill and they 321 are to apply to Ireland. There are some disadvantages and they are to apply to England and Scotland.