CORHESPONDENCE. 221 



to circulate it for the further criticism ;uul opinion of h)c:il (Jovernments, 

 The revised bill defines game and takes power for local Governments to 

 declare a close time during which it will be unlawful to capture, kill or deal in 

 any specified kind of game or the plumage of any specified bird. Fish have 

 been excluded from the scope of the proposed law, as their case can be suitablj' 

 provided for by rules under the Indian Fisheries Act, The bill also provides 

 a general exception in favour of the capture or killing of game in self-defence 

 or in protection of crops or fruit, and gives power to local Governments to 

 apply its provisions to birds other than those specified in the definition. It 

 may be noted that clause 3 corresponds substantially to clauses 6 and 7 of the 

 original bill, which were generally approved, and that clause H corresponds 

 to clause IS of that bill which also met with general approval. Clause 7 

 which applies only to Itirds is far less sweeping than clauses 2(1) and 7 of 

 the original bill. In short the present bill embodies in an improved and 

 simplified form those provisions of the original bill which met with general 

 acceptance. The Government of India consider that the proposed law will 

 for the present be sufficient to restrict the indiscriminate slaughter of game, 

 if it is combined with suitable restrictions imposed by rules under the Forest 

 Acts in force in the different provinces. 



4. The legislation contemplated is likely to be of limited application, as 

 it is probable that in manj' parts of India the protection afforded by forests 

 to species threatened with extinction will make it unnecessary to apply the 

 measure, should it be passed into law. It may, however, be argued that the 

 proposed bill, so far as it goes beyond the scope of the Wild Birds Protection 

 Act, 1887, and especially in its application to deer and other animals which 

 are liable to injure growing crops, is open to the objections stated in the 

 Home Department Resolution Ko. 1471 — 81, dated the 29th August 1885. 

 I am to request that these points of possible objection to the measure may 

 receive the consideration of the Governor in Council and that the Govern- 

 ment of India may be furnished with an expression of the views of His 

 Excellency in Council on the scheme of legislation now formulated. 



I have the honour to be, 

 Sii:, 

 Your most obedient servant, 

 H. A. STUART. 

 Ojfg. Secfctari/ tn ihr Govemmenl of India. 



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