HC Deb 13 December 1906 vol 167 cc640-1
MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether his Department received a memorial signed by, amongst others, I twenty-eight head masters of schools, stating that, in the opinion of the memorialists, beagling is a demoralising form of sport for the young, and suggesting that a drag hunt should be substituted; and whether his Department will accede to the prayer of the memorialists at the Royal Naval College.

(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) Such a memorial was recently addressed to and received by the First Lord of the Admiralty, who replied in the sense of the Answer given to the hon. Member in this House on 24th'April last,‡and stated that ‡Sec (4) Debates, clv., 1393. he was not prepared to depart from the decision then announced.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether any part of the expenses incurred in the sport known as beagling at the Royal Naval College is paid for out of public funds; and whether parents of cadets are under any obligation to subscribe to the maintenance of this form of sport.

(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The wages of the kennel-man are paid, during the present financial year, out of funds voted by Parliament. After the 31st March next no part of the expenses of the beagles will be paid for out of public funds. A charge, not exceeding 10s. per term, is made to parents as a contribution to the general sports fund, from which money for the maintenance of the beagles is allocated by the captain.