Sitting of 9 June 1824

GAME LAWS AMENDMENT BILL.
Earl Grosvenorrose to introduce a bill for amending the present Game Laws. After expressing his regret, that the bill on this subject lately introduced into the other House had not passed, the noble earl stated that he thought it was the duty of his majesty's ministers to bring forward some measure calculated to settle a question of so much importance to the good order and morals of the country. Since, however, that had not been done, he had resolved to propose to their lordships the adoption of a measure which did not interfere with the state of the game laws generally, and which went no further than to repeal a number of statutes by which the sale and purchase of game was prevented.
The Earl of Lauderdaledid not object to the measure, but regretted that his noble friend had brought forward the bill at so late a period of the session.
Lord Suffieldapproved of the noble earl's bill as far as it went. His only objection was, that it did not go far enough. The noble lord then specified several objects which be wished the bill to embrace, and intimated, that if nothing effectual was done this year, he should consider it his duty to bring forward a measure next session.
The Earl of Limericksupported the bill.
The Earl of Carnarvonalso supported it, though from the state of the population of the country he did not expect that the measure would have all the effect which some noble lords expected from it. He approved of the repeal of the statutes to which his noble friend had alluded; for the laws against the sale and purchase of game did not prevent the offence of poaching.
The Earl of Liverpoolregretted, that the bill had been brought in at so late a period of the session, and thought it would be better to postpone it to next year.
The bill was then read a first time.