§ MR. NORTON (Kent, Tunbridge)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, with reference to the removal of the Volunteer Camp from Wimbledon, and in consideration of the great advantage 121 to the country and the Volunteers generally if the annual meeting could continue to be held near London, and also the desirability of having a permanent range available for the Metropolitan Corps, Whether the Government will take steps to inquire as to the suitability of the Richmond Park site?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)I understand that a deputation from the National Rifle Association waited upon my right hon. Friend the First Commissioner of Works this morning on the subject to which my hon. Friend refers. It will be the duty of the Government carefully to consider the representation which was made to the First Commissioner, and they will to do so with as little delay as possible, having regard to the importance of the question. But I must point out to my hon. Friend, that if only the annual rifle meeting is sanctioned in Richmond Park, it will involve the exclusion of the public from a portion of the Park for a fortnight every year, and necessitate the removal of a large number of trees in the line of fire; while if the butts were to be available as a permanent range, the public would have to be permanently excluded from an area amounting to about one-half of the entire Park.