§ MR. SUMMERBELLI beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the Board of Education is in favour of having rifle corps attached to public elementary schools; whether instructions have been issued to inspectors to suggest to head masters of public elementary schools that their influence should be used during school hours to induce boys to join such rifle corps; whether the Board of Education is aware that at Galley's Field Upper Standard School, Hartlepool, targets are exhibited in the school, and boys have been taken out of school before the time for closing shown on the official time table for the purpose of receiving instruction in sighting, and for practising shooting on the rifle range; and that boys have boon reprimanded in school for being absent from such instruction.
§ MR. MCKENNANo instructions have been issued to inspectors of the kind suggested in the hon. Gentleman's Question, and I should not favour the issue of such instructions. The Board have no information as to the incidents referred to in the latter part of the Question, but I will cause inquiries to be made.
§ MR. BYLES (Salford, N.)Is it not the fact that at Lewisham forty out of forty-five elementary schools joined the Schools' Rifle Association?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThis Question relates to Hartlepool, which is a long way from Lewisham.