§ MR. G. GREENWOOD (Peterborough)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education where he is aware that 1254 the children attending St. Bride's School, near Newport, Monmouthshire, were recently granted a holiday by the headmistress in order that they might attend an otter hunt as an object lesson; whether the object lesson was to teach the children the duty of kindness to animals; and whether such object lessons meet with the approval and sanction of the Board.
§ SIR IVOR HERBERT (Monmouthshire, S.)asked the right hon. Gentleman before he answered the Question, to give due consideration to the fact that the people of Monmouthshire, and the people of Wales generally, combine a great zeal for education with an irrepressible love hunting.
§ MR. REESDoes the Board of Education propose to pronounce an opinion on the ethics of otter hunting or any other form of sport?
§ MR. RUNCIMANI have received no information as to the incident referred to. I understand, however, from my hon. friend's Question that the school was closed and the children were given a holiday, in which case I have no power to intervene. It is within the discretion of the local education authority to direct or permit the closure of the public elementary schools in their area on such occasions as they think fit, provided they are open a sufficient number of times to satisfy the requirements of the Code. I need hardly say that the Board do not regard otter hunting as an object lesson.