§ Clause 23, page 10, line 17, leave out from ("imprisonment") to end of line 21.
§ LORD FORBESMy Lords, Clause 23 relates to cases of conviction of a single person for offences of night shooting or killing deer otherwise than with a rifle or shotgun. By this Amendment the penalties for conviction on indictment only have been dropped; the remaining penalties stand. I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Forbes.)
§ VISCOUNT ASTORMy Lords, I think it is extraordinary, when we have had all these other Amendments increasing the penalties all the way along, that we should at the same time, for no explained reason, reduce the penalties on indictment for serious poaching. It seems to me an unsatisfactory Amendment.
§ VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARDMy Lords, I should like to support the noble Viscount in that observation. I think it is an extremely unsatisfactory Amendment.
§ LORD FORBESMy Lords, I think I should point out that this clause deals with the single person who commits an offence. If, however, two or more persons are engaged in the offence they will be liable to prosecution under Clause 24, under which the penalties are very much stiffer.
§ VISCOUNT ASTORMy Lords, I can never understand why something done with someone else is any different from an act done alone.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.