§ Colonel Conollymoved the second reading of Salmon Fisheries (Ireland) Bill, in which it was advisable to adopt some modification, and hoped it would be allowed to go to a Select Committee when this might be effected.
§ Mr. W. S. O'Brienopposed the measure, which he conceived to be highly restrictive to the liberty of the subject. He 1075 thought the second clause was particularly objectionable, which went to compel magistrates to summarily decide causes and punish parties brought before them or pay a fine of 20l. He moved as an Amendment that the bill be read a second time that day six months.
§ Mr. W. Rochesupported the Amendment, as he deemed the operation of the bill would be to render the use of salmon still less accessible to the poor and middling classes, and to increase the vexatious restrictions apparent in the old law.
§ Mr. Warburtonsaid, that the bill appeared to him most absurdly constructed. It enacted that no person should catch salmon in the sea or in the rivers of Ireland, or within a mile of their mouths; and then follows an exception in favour of those who have fisheries established within these rivers! Now it was well known that the finest salmon were caught in the sea; so that the effect of the bill would just be to prevent them being caught where they ought to be caught. He thought it, however, quite useless to trouble a Committee with this bill when the mover had abandoned the principal clause.
§ Viscount Morpethsaid, that if he had any hope of any benefit being effected by bringing the bill into a Select Committee he should not oppose it; but, after the gallant Colonel had consented to give up the principal clause, he did not think there was sufficient substance in the remainder to make it worth their while to appoint a Committee.
§ Bill withdrawn.