§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, as the destruction of poultry by foxes and consequent depletion of British egg supply is an aggravation of our food shortage, he will reconsider the request to masters of foxhounds to maintain hunting; and' whether he will state the total number of horses which have been requisitiond from masters of foxhounds and members of hunts for the light-horse supply of his Department since 1st November, 1916?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONHunting is essential to the maintenance of our Army horse supply. It has not been necessary to requisition any horses for the Army from 1759W any individual or firm since June of last year, but 5,000 riding horses have been bought from voluntary sellers.
§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a careful inquiry through 160 fox-hunting establishments shows that only about thirty persons are now using these hunts; that this means that, in order to keep about 5,000 light horses available for his Department, many of which if requisitioned would have to be resold as useless for military purposes, he is permitting the nation's food supply to be depleted by millions of foxes only kept for the sport of at most 5,000 persons; and whether he is aware that a policy of this character is only calculated to bring the War Office into disrepute and to embitter the rank and file of labour against the man-power proposals?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONHunting is a national sport which in peace time gives employment to thousands, and is essential to the maintenance of the supply of riding horses which are needed for the Army. It is for this reason that, hunts have with difficulty been kept together upon a very much reduced scale by patriotic maters and the agricultural communities which support them.