108 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



barbed wire. This was a question quite apart from hunting altogether — tiie 

 dying-out of the old natural fences. It was a thing he would not suffer on his 

 own estate, because the natural fences were valuable also as shelter for stock, 

 and he thought it the landlord's duty to see that they did not die out, and if the 

 landlords did their duty the tenants would do theirs. In their country they had 

 been working away quietly for the last four or five years. They heard many 

 people say fox-hunters should pay for their hunting. He could only say that 

 they were paying. The Hunt spent £500 a year on the renewal of the fences in 

 their country, and they were doing everything they could in that direction. So 

 far the results were very good, and he only hoped that they might be able to hunt 

 the country in its integrity for many years to come. (Applause.) 



Mr. C. J. Blagg proposed the health of the judges. He said two things 

 prevented him hunting now — these were Anno Domini and barbed wire. He 

 endorsed the previous speaker's remarks. He believed it would be a bad day for 

 farmers if hunting ceased. In the words of the immortal Mr. Jorrocks, " 'Untiiig 

 is the sport of kings, the image of war without its guilt, and only twenty-five per 

 cent, of its danger." If Mr. Jorrocks had lived in the days of barbed wire lie 

 would have been inclined to put the danger at fifty per cent. He hoped liy 

 co-operation between landlord, tenant, and fox-hunter, they would be able to do 

 away with this pest of a hunting countrj'. 



Mr. J. W. Philips, Mr. E. Fort (Master of the Meynell), and the three 

 huntsmen replied, the latter endorsing the Earl of Lonsdale's remarks as to tlie 

 rearing of puppies. 



Mr. Radford-Norcop proposed the health of the farmers of the North 

 Staffordshire Hunt. In doing so, he said the farmers must have perseverance 

 for their elder brother, experience for their bosom friend, caution for their 

 wise counsellor, and hope for their guardian angel. In other words, the farmer 

 had to trust and to wait. He was pleased that, though the season could make no 

 pretence to the phenomenal result of last year, it would certainly not be a bad one. 



Mr. Wm. Cooraer replied, and said if all packs were managed like the Nortli 

 Staffordshire there would not be so much grumbling in the country. 



Mr. R. S. Wilkinson, in reply, said hunting did as much for agriculture as 

 anything in the country. Their noble Master did all he could to help the 

 farmers, and the speaker onl}^ wished that all others managed the Hunt as well 

 as it was managed at Trentham. 



This concluded the speeches, and the Duke announced that the gardens were 

 open to the visitors. The company then adjourned to the showyard to witness 

 the trials of hunters over hurdles. 



The Duke and Duchess are generally favoured with 

 " Queen's " weather for this annual fete, and there can be 

 no doubt of the great success of the institution, and of 

 its popularity with the farmers of the district. Long may 

 it flourish, and may the good feeling between the tenant 

 farmers and the Hunt grow and increase year by year. 



While we are on the subject of agricultural shows and 

 tenant farmers, we are reminded of a clever satire on the 

 old-fashioned habits and customs of our North Stafford- 

 shire farmers which prevailed some fifty years ago or 



