FARMING AND FOXHUNTING — I938 



the rich and the poor, yes, and even the man on 

 the dole. How often have I seen these men spending 

 an hour of real enjoyment following the hounds on 

 a bicycle or on foot. Then take a Boxing Day 

 Meet. Our late Master, Col. W. Fuller, in real 

 good humour used to describe it as a great Christ- 

 mas party, and he was not far wrong. The roads 

 are blocked with motor-cars, cyclists and people on 

 foot in countless numbers, all full of life and excite- 

 ment, and if they can only catch a glimpse of a fox, 

 they go home and talk about it for months, and 

 this just keeps them from brooding over the failings 

 of the politicians to put the world right. Grand, 

 isn't it? 



I have just been reading the life of Parnell, and 

 it can't be disputed that the troubles of Ireland have 

 been due to nothing more or less than the fact that 

 the Irish landlord did not live in the country. Is 

 this not an object lesson for us ? I say, discourage 

 hunting and our village life would be the poorer, 

 and rural population become yet more scanty. The 

 privilege of foxhunting has prevailed for about two 

 centuries. Is it not amazing how the last phase of 

 the Feudal System has lived through so many 

 changes ? Surely it has been nourished by the real 

 good-fellowship which exists between the farmer 

 and the hunting man, and it will be a sorry day 

 should the rural areas lose that bond of friendship. 



A. H. : Yes. This old country of ours seems to 

 stand up against these international shocks better 

 than most. Is it not partly that our standard of 

 life is good and our people have healthy amusement ? 



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