§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."— [Major Dugdale.]
§ Captain Cunningham-Reid (St. Maryle-bone)I want to say a word about corn. I do not suppose that you could find a more important subject, considering that if we can always obtain a sufficiency of bread, we can hold out against starvation for a long period. Bread and vegetables are a healthy diet, and I understand that, as far as vegetables are concerned, we are self-contained in this country. Surely, it should be our policy that corn should be used only for human consumption unless used for purposes that assist us in the war. I want to draw attention to the fact that a racehorse gets a ration of 15 lbs. of 535 corn per day. Can it truthfully be said that racehorses are essential to our war effort?
§ Mr. Ellis Smith (Stoke)What about the owners of them?
§ Captain Cunningham-ReidI am coming to them. It is claimed, I know, that racehorse bloodstock will be a valuable national asset after this war, but what a lot of use that will be to us if we lose the war through lack of bread. It is also claimed that racing produces a diversion in the gloom of war and keeps away demoralising despondency. But how about the great number of people who do not race? I think that they would feel more cheerful and possibly less despondent if most of the corn which is at present now being used for racehorses was stored for the serious emergency that may be expected. Is it not rather hypocritical to say that we must keep the people cheerful by racing and at the same time prohibit Sunday entertainments, a form of entertainment which does not consume corn?
I know that this is a great racing country. I personally have enjoyed it myself. Some of the most influential people in the country own racehorses, and I know that the views that I am expressing are not conducive to popularity in some quarters, but as I am not popular in some quarters, I think that possibly I am the very person to put forward these views. Therefore, I say that the question is a serious one. Our present situation is now so serious and the accumulation of corn may be so vital that horseracing should be discontinued and racehorses put out to grass.
In spite of an answer which I received to-day at Question time, I know of a great number of cases where poor people have had to give up their poultry through lack of food. A day's ration of corn for one racehorse would enable 20 families to feed six hens per family, and do it properly. I mean a sufficiency of corn that would enable some of the hens to lay. The food value of the egg is particularly high. In another answer that I received to-day I was told—to quote the exact words:
Rations for poultry are governed by the quantity of feeding-stuff available and could only be increased by reducing the quantities available for other classes of livestock."Other classes of livestock include racehorses, and to my mind it will be extraordinary, to put it mildly, if there is any 536 more pandering to those who happen to own racehorses and those who have the time and the money to go racing.
§ Mr. Mathers (Linlithgow)The hon. and gallant Member who has just spoken has put a case which seems to me to be worthy of a reply, and I hope one will be forthcoming from the Government Front Bench. He put his case very objectively, without trying to stir up sectional feeling about it. If I had been putting the case, I would have taken perhaps a somewhat different line, because in my constituency and elsewhere what I meet with in connection with this matter is the feeling that some kind of favouritism is shown in respect of providing for racehorses by maintaining the quota of corn that is allowed to owners. It is put to me that this is providing for the rich man's pets, sport and enjoyment, whereas no provision is made for the pets which the poor man enjoys keeping. We have, as the hon. and gallant Member mentioned, the spectacle of rations being cut and poultry dispensed with because there is not the necessary food.
Recently I myself raised the point about this cutting down and the complete denial of food for cage birds such as budgerigars and canaries. It seems a small thing, but these pets are greatly prized by their owners, and they think there is something wrong in the way in which this matter is being looked at by the Government, that race-horses can still be provided for while their pets, which consume far less, cannot be provided for and maintained. The fact is that many of these pets are having to be put out of existence. The question of dealing with racing pigeons is also one that comes under this particular consideration, and I wish to make clear to the House and the Government the resentment that is felt about the lack of provision for many racing pigeons while at the same time race-horses are apparently provided for to a sufficient extent to make it possible for the hon. and gallant Member for St. Marylebone (Capt. Cunningham-Reid) to raise his complaint. Although there does not appear to be any sign of a reply today, I hope that some statement will come from the Government before long with regard to this particular matter.
§ Question, That this House do now adjourn, "put, and agreed to.