SPORT AND INDUSTRY.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 3100, 20 June 1929, Page 4

SPORT AND INDUSTRY.

English newspapers to hand give information showing to what a remarkable extent the sport of fox-hunting is interfering with.-the poultry industry in England. A meeting was recently held between the National Poultry Council and the Master of Foxhounds' Association in London. From statements made by Dr. Edward Brown, spokesman for the poultry raisers, the economic loss to England as a result of encouraging the raising of foxes in order that they may be hunted can only be described as appalling.. As matters stand, strong social pressure is brought to bear "to prevent the destruction of foxes in any manner except by the approved hunts. These animals have multiplied to such an extent that poultry raisers are facing tremendous losses, and while the hunt associations maintain funds which arc supposed to reimburse farmers and poultry raisers for such losses, it seems clear that the losses paid for fall far short of those actually sustained. Dr. Brown declared that claims for compensation are in many cases ignored or delayed, and that some hunts only recompense farmers over whose land, they ride, which cuts off poultry specialists from indemnity. He said many pretexts are put forward to avoid paying damages, while poultry raisers have to buy expensive fencing if they desire to protect their chickens. Another serious charge is that hunting is mainly responsible for Britain's dependence on imported eggs. It is claimed that, but for the .artificial preservation of foxes, . tho sum of £239,000,000 which was paid for foreign eggs between 1901 and 1928 might have been earned by British poultry raisers and remained at Home. At a time when Britain needs to develop all its home resources these serious economic facts command wide attention. They come also at a time when several cases, of aggravated, cruelty in hunting have brought widespread condemnation upon the press and elsewhere. An American newspaper, commenting on the question, makes some dractic comments against the "alleged sport of fox-hunt-ing," and declares that "it may be that the spectacle once graphically described as 'the unspeakables chasing tho uneatable' has not long to survive in England."