Star.
London, England, 1818-05-07 00:00:00

GAME PRESERVATION RILL.

Mr. G. BANKS moved the second reading of the
Game Preservation Bill.
Mr. CURWEN wished the Honourable Gentleman
to put off the discussion on 1 measure so important,
till the House should be in a fuller state.

Mr. G. BANKS said, the measure bad been so re-
peatedly postponed from day to day, that with the
view he took of its importance, he could not, on -he
Present occasion, though anxious to afford the Ho-
nourable Gentleman all possible accommodation, ac-
cede to his request. He reminded the Honourable
Gentleman that the subject might be discussed in a
future stage, with the advantage of a fuller House.
He could not consent to postpone it now, as, if it
should go off on the present occasion, it could not
be proceeded with before the holidays, and he knew
not how long after them it might be before it could
be forwarded. He proceeded briefly to explain his
view of the Bill. On re-considering the subject of
it the opinions he had formerly expressed had under•
gone no alteration. thought it desirable that
every branch of the laws should be made as effective
as possible while they were in force, and that radical
change in the Game Laws which some Gentlemen
contemplated, could not be the work of a day; nor,
he might add, of a Session. He was however con-
vinced that it would tend to ameliorate the system
and to reform the lower orders,. if that were made a
direct violation of the law which was now an indirect
violation of it. This he proposed to effect by the
present Bill, which would place the buyer and seller
of game on precisely the same footing. In opposition
to what WAS stated in the Report of a Committee of
' that House. he gave it as his opinion, that the Game
Laws were less rigorous now than they had formerly
been; and he was persuaded, that the rights of the
Lords of Manors had declined since the time of
Charles the Second. The present Bill would better
the condition of the lower orders by removing from
them the temptations to which they were at present
exposed. Among the communications which had
been made to him on the subject of the Game Laws,
were some letters from a Magistrate at Bath, from
which it appeared that certain informations had been
lately laid against poulterers for selling Game, and
these bad given up the names of a number of their
customers, who ooly continued to be customers on
the express condition that they should be supplied
with game. He believed this Bill would serve to
protect those persons against such conditions being
made with them, end if it did not prevent the of-
fence, it would remove the excuse for committing it.,
At all events i c ould make One dearer, anath is must
tend to diminish its sale, and though persons above
the lower clasFes might not be deterred from procu-
ring game by any forfeiture however high, yet the
trouble, inconvenience, and exposure to which they
would be liable if this Bill should pass,'must, lie
thought, have-great weight with Chun.

ihon"rld CpUlt N thoughtass,WEwuultion theyadd use to tLeaoluppren ressi.
Game Laws already in ei.:stence, and after al •
would be perfectll nugatory, os he was of opinion Ft
would only punt the thfenor parties, while d,„,4
higher .standing in society, against whom it was le;
yelled, it would be impossible to reach. Giber Lmx
passed for, the same purpoce, had created a yet
evil, but had not checked the offence they we.-e
tended to meet. This had been 'hewn by the papers
called for by an Honourable and Learned Genterza;
who had inter.led taking a part in this debate (s:,
Samuel Romilly) from which it appeared that 1,0
persons were now suffering under those law% The
present Bill would only cause game to be mem it
after. To correct the- evil complained ef. 64-.4
like every thing else, ought to be suffered to
be
brought to an open market, and by the ad0i,..,•,,r.ti
such a course he was sure the interest of tbespt,ts.
man would be best consulted. At present, from the
odium which attached to the rigorous enietzeinta
of the Game Laws, nine-tenths of the Game Mite
country was left wholly unprotected. The tvi..Ll
was most unjust. An individual who occupied , •
hundred and fifty, or two hundred acres, miylt L
kill a single head of the Game which he mart;
while another person who oocapied no land cf.
was not covered with brick, but who was in ii.t :
ceipt of one hundred pounds per annum from a-.
of freehold property, might be qualified to kii: gee .: .
The Game Laws were enacted whi.n then ra.
any property in the country but landed prciler
Now, the landed y was not more eln..
seventh of the whorer.°PeLch laws were wholiy
plicable to the present situation of England,
present the Game Laws had the effect of situtas
Gentlemen out of the country. Game ring ht to tie
made property—it should be held to belong to the
land, and to the land ot:cupier, unless a ban.ii. Were
made to the contrary, and then every on: would be
anxious to preset ye it. At present he would appeal
to every one if the farmer did not icd it to beins is.
terest that it should be destroyed By adTiag the
principle which he recommended that attula he made
a moral crime, which at present was no mufti Maw,
and he was confident game would from this meant'
stance become more than ever abundant. The pre-
sent Bill would have a demoralizing effect, if it eer
couratv,ed the servant to be a spy upon his mute,
and the man who should act such a part, thrown os
from society, would be ruined for crer: and from
the situation in which he must find himself, wuidd
be likely to take to the most desperate to•irses.
measure, he was cnnEdent, would not produce the
good effects expected from it, and he Mould iliac
fore oppose the second reading.

Mr. BRAND pointedly condemned the existil
Game Laws, as calculated todemoralizo the ioee
orders, and as leading to every crime that diTrar4
the agricultural districts of the country. He pr,;"
seeded at some length to shesr their injustice, rd
informed the House he had it in contemplation to
bring in a Bill of a snore comprehensive charzta
than that before them, but had been unwiliing
intrude any opinions .of his in tLe nay of those who
had taken this subject its hand, and he had %tithed
to ascertain what was the general feeling in the
House. The present Bill he opposed, not .o much
on its own account, as on account of the oixes.,:ve
system of which it was intended to form a port. lts
provisions, he was satistie.d, could not be naiad
against the higher orders. He should am object to
it, if it affected them as well as the lower classes.—
He should approve of any change that got ril
absurd remnant of the feudal aristocracy, the Game
Laws, and made the game the property of the occr
pier of the land, by whom it was maintained. Tli
tha present laws were oppressive and injurious cut
not be denied, when it was known that vaelve u:_-
deed persons were now suffering under them, rl
that several of the persons employed to appreherl
offenders under them had been killed. He hoped o. ie

system would in a short time give vay to ow :1
should be more humane and consistent.
Mr. G. BANK LS explained.
Mr. LOCKHART pointed out the ditictddes r
would occur in attempting to enforce the poi,
of a Bill like the present, and kr shenrd that
party informed against as the ft:kr, :od evis
Poacher himself might etcape with inytu.:7-4
an fact, this measure ssuuld shiti the i""

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