GAME LAWS AMENDMENT BILL. 389 



4th, That the game is, in some instances, delivered by the 

 poachers principally to this latter description of dealers, by abso- 

 lute sale, or upon commission ; in others, it is collected by persons 

 who send it up together with poultry ; and lastly, is sometimes 

 received from owners of manors and landed proprietors, who are 

 in the habit of sending their game, either to salesmen or others, 

 for the purpose of sale. 



5th, That the markets, by these means, appear to be con- 

 stantly and abundantly supplied ; and that, in consequence of 

 the illegal mode in which it is obtained, it is impossible to regu- 

 late the supply by the demand ; that large quantities of game 

 are therefore sometimes wasted, and even thrown away. 



6th, That the demand, during the season, is constant ; and 

 that the practice of purchasing game is not confined to any one 

 class of the community, but is habitual to persons of every class 

 who have not the means of being sufficiently supplied with that 

 article from their own manors or land : and, in consequence, a 

 breach of these particular laws appears not to be considered as 

 any moral offence whatever. 



These facts being established, it becomes quite clear that these 

 laws have entirely failed in preventing the purchase and sale of 

 game ; and that, although in some instances persons legally in 

 possession of game, dispose of it by sale, yet that the great 

 supply of the market is in the hands of the poachers, who are, 

 by this nearly exclusive trade, encouraged in the greatest degree 

 to the continuance of their depredations. 



Your committee, therefore, cannot but recommend the repeal 

 of the laws relative to the purchase and sale of game; and that 

 an act should be passed, permitting persons qualified to kill o-ame 

 in virtue of real property, and who may, therefore, be supposed 

 to be in a situation to have a legal means of obtaining it, to sell 

 it to such persons as shall be duly licensed to retail game, for 



the use of the public, under certain regulations and restrictions,, 

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