§ Mr. KENNEDYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has received a resolution from the Irish Game Protection Association asking that the Dog Tax in Ireland should be raised to 7s. 6d. and be collectible on 1st January in each year, and further pointing out that numbers of useless dogs, many unlicensed, are kept in Ireland effectively wasting food and causing loss to farmers, especially in the lambing season, and, as this tax is paid in reduction of local taxes in Ireland, whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter?
§ Mr. DUKEA copy of the resolution mentioned in the question has been forwarded to me. The question of increasing the Dog Tax in Ireland has several times been considered, and it was discussed last year in connection with a similar proposal in regard to England. Legislation would be necessary to make any change in the amount of the tax, and it was decided not to proceed with the matter for the reasons stated by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a question by the hon. and learned Member for Cambridge University on the 19th July last.
Mr. F FRENCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has seen a resolution passed by the Wexford County Council protesting against the payment of a war bonus to clerks of petty sessions out of the Dog Tax as recommended by the Associated Petty Session Clerks of Ireland; and, as this tax is at present paid to county and urban councils which are, in most instances, now labouring under excessive taxation, will he see that the present arrangement is not disturbed?
§ Mr. DUKE: The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As I stated in a written answer to a question by the hon. Member for West Donegal, in the Official Report of the 28th January, no case has been made out for any general increase of salary to Petty Sessions clerks in Ireland.