BILL FOR ABOLITION OF HUNTING REJECTED IN BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 February 1949, Page 5

BILL FOR ABOLITION OF HUNTING REJECTED IN BRITAIN

(Rec. 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. The second reading of the Protection of Animals Bill, which would prohibit the hunting of deer, otter or badger with hounds as a sport, and similarly, hare and rabbit coursing, was defeated in the House of Commons by 214 votes to 101. Mr Seymor Cocks (Labour), sponsored the Bill, spoke in defence of the badger, otter and red deer and said the suffering inflicted on the animals was revolting cruelty, because the hounds often tore their quarry to pieces. The Minister of Agriculture Mr Tom Williams, expressing the Government’s view, that while the motives and intentions might be good, he was satisfied that the Bill was based on wrong premises and to pass it would lead to much more, rather than less cruelty. Any interference with the recreation covered by the Bill which were a traditional feature of country life, might endanger the food production drive. There never was a time when the nation depended more upon the goodwill and cooperation of all classes of rural population, They would risk losing that if they passed the Bill .