HL Deb 18 July 1881 vol 263 cc1108-9

House in Committee (according to Order).

Clause 1 (Amendment of s. 3 of 43 & 44 Vic. c. 35).

On the Motion of Lord ABERDARE, Amendments made, in page 1, line 23, by leaving out ("or taken"); line 25, by leaving out ("or taking"); line 27, by leaving out ("or taken"); by leaving out lines 28 and 29.

LORD WALSINGHAM

, in moving, in page 1, line 18, after ("repealed") to insert ("save and except any wild bird named in the schedule annexed unto the said Act"); and after line 29, to insert:— (3.) Provided always, that the present Act shall not apply to any wild bird named in the schedule annexed unto the Wild Birds Protection Act, 1880, said, that if the Act passed in its present shape it would be practically doing away with all protection to wild birds, and particularly wild duck, snipes, and plovers. His Amendments would leave to owners and occupiers of land the right to dispose of such birds as they had now a right to kill on their own ground, such as rooks, pigeons, and so forth; but they would tend to maintain the protection extended to wild fowl and other birds named in the schedule of the Act of 1880.

EARL DE LA WARR

said, he understood the noble Earl to say that foreign wild birds could be sold under the Act unless it was amended, and that would open the door to selling native birds.

THE EARL OF ABERDEEN

said, he agreed that unless some Amendment of this kind were made the Act might be evaded and the birds left unprotected.

Amendment agreed to.

The Report of the Amendments to be received To-morrow; and Bill to be printed as amended. (No. 166.)