The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

'WI.'

`~~

ROUSE OF COMMONS, April 21.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
IRISH FISHERIES BILL.
Mr. CONOLLY, in moving the second reading of this
Bill, said he was not the advocate of any particular class
or interest in Ireland, and would shrink from bringing
forward a measure of such importance on any
bat pub-
lic grounds. There were three interests connected with
salmon fisheries in Ireland, and, though they were anta-
gonistic to each other, they had only one common and
identical object, viz., keeing up the supply of fish in the
best and most approved manner. The public had likewise
a great interest in the question, for it was of importance
to them that a good maximum supply of fish should
always be maintained. What had been the state of
legislation on this subject? In 1842 a Bili was passed
which dealt with and consolidated no less than twenty-
five old statutes respecting fisheries in the sister
country, but he felt justified in saying that the mode in
which that measure treated existing rights was
shameful and unconstitutional. From the time of Magna
Charts up to 1842 these fisheries were virtually public
property, though very much drawn upon by private in-
terests, but since then the public had been deprived of
their undoubted rights, and the fisheries had become
a monopoly in the hands of private individuals.
The Bill of 1842 proceeded upon the principle as if there
was no such thing as public right; and he contended
that this was a very serious error. It, in fact, estab-
lished a monopoly in the landowners against the public
right, and so the Learned Judge announced from the
beach who tried certain persons at Waterford for in
fringing its provisicne. That learned person, in point
of fact, gave it as his opinion that the
provisions of the Bill repealed the rights of the people in
relation to fisheries as they were explained and conferred
in Magna Charts, The law as it now stood went upon
the theory of non-interference by Government. It was
indeed left to the public to see that it was properly en-
forced, and the consequence was it was never enforced at
all. Now this defect in the law ought to be immediately,
remedied, and a Bill passed to give the upper pro-
prietors on the Irish streams the same inducement to
preserve the fish thee; were enjoyed by the proprietors
on the lower waters. The 11th and 12th Vic-
toria, relating to this branch of the subject,
he readily admitted had worked exceedingly` well,
arel all he wanted the House to do was to extend and
enlarge its provisions. The Act of the Hon. Member
f3r youghal was also an improvement upon the old sys-
tem; but still, notwithetandice rill these remedial charges
in the law, the quantity of fish in the Irish waters
1ie.4.0f late years very seriously diminished. The Hon.
Gentleman then proceedel to read passages from the
annual reports 0: the Irish Fishery Commission, with
the view of showing that although there had, since
18 t 2, been as increase in the supply of fish, yet the in-
creeee did not protteel from the frnitfal character of the
(waters, but irons the facilities which the defective state
of the law afforded to peaohere. Its some districts the
decrease on the take of ealre,en had been 50 per cent.,
while the Westpoze, district was the enly one which
showed
soy indic,ttioa cif an increase, (The Hon. Gen-
eleman proceeded to read an extract in order to show
e at, at present, du7ine the months of Julie and July,
risen salmon is most pleurifel in the Dublin market,
the prices had risen since th:, Act of 1842, from three-
pence or lcurpence per pound to one shillirg.) The
Amendments and improvement; en the old law pro-
poird in the present Bid he could, from practical
elsnovviedge of the subieet, recommend as advantageous
in all respects, partieuiarly in (yelling the mouths of the
rivers for the free ingress of the fig). it was his opinion
that it the Government thought it their duty to reject
this Bill without a fair inquiry, they would not be acting
in the way which he had a eight to expect, and he would
itrintere, all Members, whether Irish or Scotch, to assist
in is me :sure which would bring credit upon themselves
lied prosperity neon their fellow-creatures.
Lord NAAS complimented the Hon. Member upon the
diligence and interreetion which he brought to bear upon
this question. He. himself, would yield to no one in the
interest which be felt iii the settlement of thin very im-
portant and difficult question. In 1842 an Act on this
subject was passed, which repealed twenty-six former
Aces,. end formed a new fishery code. Since that
time six new Acts had been passed on the same
subject, and he wan not prepared to say that the
present state of le,gislitiou was satisfactory. Of late
years it was undereed that there had been a great
decrease in the value of the salmon fisheries, which
s-one persons attributed to the Act of 1842, some to the
increase of drainage, same to the killing. of fish in the
spawn bed, and others to the brevity of the close fisheries.
, Whatever was the cause, it was undoubted that
there hid been over-fishing to a considerable extent, and
the number of fish was rapidly decreasing. lie admitted
that legislative interference might be necessary,
but he certainly would not give his consent to the me-
th'od of legislation proposed by the Hon. Gentleman,
the chief feature of which was to sweep away one in_
Virest altogether—that of the St,il(e-weir owneri. It
would be undoubtedly aecesscry for the Government to
introduce some measure on the subject, but it would be
cue to effect all interests equally, arid he could not help
saying that :a his opinion one of the chief means to be
adopted must be to lengthen the period of the close
season. The Bill of the Honourable Gentleman
was not one to which he could give his undivided
support, and considering that the Government had its
attention fixed upon the subject, he hoped that the Hon.
Gentleman would postpone this Bill for the present.
Mr. MONSELL was glad to see that the Government
opposed this Bill, btcluse, for his own part, he attri-
buted the late alarming decrease of fish in Ireland to
legislation. By some mysterious influence the fish
seemed to retreat before the advances of that House.

Mr. SCULLY said that the great want felt in Ireland
was want of tundra—(Leughte)---he meant want of
fond ito improve these fisheries. Seethed bad a grant
cf 14,0001. per annum for the purpose of improving the
deep sett flatteries, and the slyer fisheries were of quite
as mach imp trence to Ireland as the deep sea fisariea
we.e. to Scotland. He complained of the inactiviry of the
Fishery Board in Dublin; they had not only done no
good, but in some instances had even done harm,
and we:Ade:ably injured the fisheries, and thwarted
the efforts of pricte persons. He thought that Go-
vernment stone could snccessfally legislate on this sub-
ject, and ho hoped that the Hon. Member for Donegal
would wihdraw the measure fur the present.
Mr. H. HERBERT also recommended the with-
dree-al of the Bill, •and hoped that the Government
- would turn its attention towards this important subject.
He also must bear testimony to the injudicious and
arbitrary conduct of the Fishery Commissioners; and
not only had they frequently been guilty of local and
individual injustice, but they had failed to produce any
general and universal benefit to the fisheries.
Captain JONES said that he thought the great
reason of the decrease in the Irish fisheries was the
shortness of the close season, and the best means of
remedying the present evil would be to lengthen the
close season. If the lion. Gentleman did not withdraw
the Bill he should move that it be road a second time
this day six months.
_ Sir W. SOMERVILLE expressed his hope that the
Bill would be withdrawn. He was rejoiced to hear that
it was the, intention of the
Government to bring for Nerd
some measure en the subject. The g
decrease in the Irish tish'e'r'- :cat a a grist
t and continued
point of great im-
portance, and it behoved all Irish Members to do their
part to remove the cause which led to their felling off.
fi e was not himself so much
such great advantages we! inclined to believe that
would be found to result from ex-
tending the close but
he thought that a great
part of ihe evil had resulted in the legislation of 1842.
!wI r. WHITESIDE thought')the
taken place upon the subject of Irish islation which had
fisheries t
g
arnished
vary lasts uetit a laaaou to the lieu
number of Acts had already been passed, A considerable
and the pre-
sent Bill, which was proposed
to consolidated
e
former
statutes, contained no less than 160 clauses. He admitted
that previous legislation had not bon
ful, but he doubted whe,.here
var legislation would success-
ful,
something. at was impossible ggreat magnitude could be perfectly
nislibleassist
anamtuer that
Luinreporfodstulecihn
discussed and passed in the present session, interfering
as it did with rights guaranteed by Act of Parliament.
No doubt it was expedient that an inquiry should be in-
stituted to ascertain the causes diminution of the
of
salmon in Ireland, and the Hon. Member must admit,
from the statement of the Secretary for Ireland, that
there was a disposition on the part of the Government
to do everything that was necessary for that purpose,
His surprise was, not that there had been a diminution
of salmon, but that a single salmon was to be found in
Ireland. It was impossible for salmon to grow large
when they were killed youne. m, or to multiply before they
were married. If any legislative measure could be de.
vised to remedy the evil, the Government would con-
sider it their duty to propose it to the House.
Mr. FREWEN thought that a remedy might be found
in the proper application of the existing law.
Mr. CONOLLY replied, and intimated that he would
leave the Bill in the hands of the Government, feeling
assured that they would take it up.
The Bill was then withdrawn.
BUILDING OF CHURCHES, &c.,
of
Mr. FREWEN moved the second reading of this
Bill, the main object of which was to provide for the
repairs and erection of churches in parishes where there
was a large populatioe, and a good endowment for a
clergyman in existence, but where no service was per-
formed in consequence either of the church being in a
ruinous condition and uninhabitable, or of there being no
church at all.
The SPEAKER intimated that there were certain
clauses in the Bill which did not come within its
title. The Bill must therefore be withdrawn.
Mr. FREWEN said, of course he „must bow to the
decision of the Speaker.
Mr. GLADSTONE also pointed out other clauses
which were not included in the title. Ile thought the
Ron. Member, before introducing the Bill, ought to have
submittedri it to a preliminary inquiry.
The Bill was then withilitawn.
vPARISH CONSTABLES' BILL.
CapCapp
tai,,,?ES moved the second reading of this Bill.
Bill would n9,"BELL thought the provisions of the
to remain ites"mt
laati_ifieiently encourage parish constables
Sir JOHN Titt'i.'trlY in their office.
impose a large 'I4OPE observed that the Bill would
and entirely
rates for the maintenance new charge on the poor-
ding conateble. thought parochial and superinten-
ding
of the por,r oughtgl'nt that the fund for the ro-
an expense of this nature
be charged with
tirely foreign to it,
and' which was en-
met by a special police which ought to
did not make those oh,er " pwrish-conttable
mg the second reading, but7Tateiehs with the view
weut before Committee his
ottpsted that when
P•ction might be

few observations from Mr. &GLIONEY and Mr
.he Bill was rovi a second time.
A.NCHISEMENT OF COPYIIOLDS BILL.
-till went through Committal..

NEWSl'\l'Eit be met
rate. FTe
' • - ' of opposin
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the i;iIl
medied.
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1.11
`. PACKE. 7-1 ENFR
111 S This Bi