§ Mr. Littletonpresented a Petition from the occupiers of land in the vicinity of Wolverhampton, complaining of the Game-laws, and praying for an alteration. The hon. Member took that opportunity to state the opinions he entertained with respect to these laws. He had long thought, and he believed it was now the feeling of the great majority of that House, that the Game-laws should be most materially altered, and he regretted much that the noble Lord (Lord Chandos) had not carried the provisions of his bill to a much greater extent. It had been always his opinion, that the charges connected with the support of game should be borne exclusively by those who enjoyed a monopoly of the pleasures which it afforded. The country had, however, long felt, and he believed the feeling was now shared by the great majority of the House, that the system must be totally altered, and he thought that the best method of putting an end to all angry feelings on the subject would be, to require no other qualification from the person who wished to kill game, except the taking out of that yearly license which the Act of Parliament required. — He would allow every person taking out that license to kill game, even if he possessed but a flower-pot of earth—if he might so express himself—for he believed that nothing 244 would sooner heal the dissensions which now prevailed in some parts of the country, and restore that good understanding which should exist between the different classes of society, than the abandonment of those exclusive privileges which were now, he would say, unhappily for themselves possessed, by the higher classes, with respect to the preservation of game. He was confident, indeed, that the abolition of the Game-laws would give more satisfaction to the great body of the people than any other measure which could be devised.
§ Mr. Sykesexpressed his hope, that the hon. Member who had just spoken would embody his sentiments in a bill; and, if he did so, that bill should have his most strenuous support. He was of opinion, that the only penalty for an infringement of the laws affecting game should be, a penalty attached to trespass on another person's property; and, with that view of the subject, he should be happy to see all the present laws, without distinction, swept from the Statute-book.
§ Lord Morpethalso expressed himself favourable to a general revision and alteration of the Game-laws.
§ Mr. Huntsaid, that if the noble Lord (Lord Chandos) did not carry his bill to the extent of a total repeal of the Game-laws, or if the hon. member for Staffordshire did not bring in such a bill, he would himself move such a repeal.
§ Petition to be printed.