IS COURSING CRUEL?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 11

IS COURSING CRUEL?

VICTORIAN INQUIRY. Whon the Victorian Legislative Assembly met on July 18, Mr. .Snowball moved the adjournment of the, House to permit of discussion of the reply given by tho Minister for Education to a question ho had been asked at a provious sitting, in which attention was called to a. statement that the Stato schools were closed to allow children to attend coursing matohes, where groat cruelty to hares took place. The reply was that the schools' committees had power to grant one holiday in the year for local festivities, and tnat in eight cases, haTe shoots and dxivca were reported to have been organised by the school committees, but that thero was 110 evidence of holidays having been, granted. The matter, Mr. Snowball said, had created a great deal of public discussion. He did not blame tho Minister personally. It was quite clear that on the eight days referred to the head teachers had reported that the schools were closed to enablo a local festivity, as it was called, to be held. He read a lotter complaining of cruelty to hares at Colac. The Speaker: How does the lion, member connect that with tho State schools? It is a protest against coursing in general. The hon. member must keep strictly to his subject. Mr. Snowball: Hon. members do not know what takes place at these coursing matches. Mr. Farrer said children enjoyed killing rabbits. There was more cruelty in horse-racinjj than in coursing. The Minister said he would ascortain all the facts before making a thorough reply to the allegations of Mr. Snowball.