§ MR. MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, 1520 If his attention has been directed to frequent accounts of cockfights which are said to have taken place in many parts of the Country; and, whether, in view of the frequency of these violations of the existing law, he contemplates bringing in a Bill this Session for the better suppression of cock-fighting? If the right hon. Gentleman should not find it convenient this Session to introduce a Bill would he do so next Session?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that his attention had been called to the number of cockfights which had been fought in many parts of the country. He had been in communication with the chief constables of various counties upon the subject, and they had undertaken that every possible precaution should be used in order to prevent the spread of cock-fighting. He was quite aware that under the present Act of Parliament it was difficult to convict accessories unless the cockfight occurred in "a usual place." No practical inconvenience resulted, however, from this cause, because a conviction could be pro-cured under other provisions in the Act. The great difficulty existed not in the Act of Parliament, but in finding out where the cockfights were held. He was sorry to say that one or two had come off in the Lancashire and Cumberland mountains, the passes of which were very hard to guard. He did not think that further legislation was necessary; but if he found that the Act of Parliament was really not strong enough to put down this sport, he should be prepared to recommend the House to alter the existing law.