362 THE QUORN HUNT 



last two years, to guide them in the conditions necessary to such 

 appointment ; and they also insist that in future at least one-third 

 of the Hunt Committee shall consist of occupiers, whose support 

 to fox-hunting is far greater than that from any other class, 

 entitling them to a share in the management of matters belonging 

 to the Hunt. A list of proposed names is attached for selection. 

 I am requested to ask you to lay this before the meeting, and also 

 to urge the desirability of adjourning the appointment until these 

 matters are settled, and so preventing any unpleasantness to the 

 new master. 



On January 5 following the farmers of the Ouorn 

 country again held a meeting to consider their position 

 in reference to the new management, the gathering taking 

 place at the Bell Hotel, Leicester, Mr. Nuttall aforesaid 

 beino; i n the chair. 



He said he was perfectly aware that the subject required very 

 delicate handling, as some of them knew that the steps which had 

 been taken in the movement had been represented as antagonistic 

 to the interests of fox-hunting ; but, in order to show that such 

 was not the case, he would move " That this meeting begs first to 

 record its strong desire to promote the best interests of fox- 

 hunting, and to take such steps as to insure its long-continued 

 popularity with all classes." His argument was that the occupiers 

 of land contributed their share to the funds of the Hunt, and they 

 had a right to know how the money was expended. He contended 

 further that their contributions as occupiers were equal to that of 

 the largest subscriber, who enjoyed four or five months' hunting in 

 return for his money. If, therefore, they contributed equally to 

 the funds, they were equally entitled to the privileges of the sub- 

 scribers, and they only asked the committee, in the most friendly 

 spirit, that their interests should be represented on that com- 

 mittee. He was glad to see Mr. Paget present, and hoped he 

 would tell them that the movement had been met in a friendly 

 spirit. No one, he said, was so much interested in fox-hunting as 

 the farmers, and who ought to know better than the farmer when 

 the sport ought to commence and when it should finish ? and who 

 was more competent than the farmer to meet his brother occupier 

 to discuss vexatious claims ? He thought that if the occupiers of 

 land had some standing they would be able to deal with many of 



