102 THE RURAL PROBLEM 



The repeal of these laws would make the difference that 

 poaching, now ferociously punishable, and trespass in search 

 of conies, now a constant source of fine by the rural bench, 

 would become simple trespass, which is not criminal, but 

 only exposes the trespasser to action for damages. The 

 keeper, if such continued to exist, would ask the name and 

 address of the poacher and politely require him to leave. 

 The man, when sued, would only be sued for damages to the 

 herbage, not for the game itself. It is obvious then that 

 the abolition of the Game Laws would involve the abolition 

 of game-preserving, and, practically speaking, in most cases 

 the abolition of game. Shooting as a pastime would cease. 



The question arises whether this is, after all, desirable. 

 What is wanted is not to abolish sport, but to prevent its 

 clashing with the public interest, and, if possible, to enlarge 

 the sphere of its enjoyment. If the recommendations made 

 above in Chapter V. were adopted the question would 

 practically solve itself. Were it open to any four people to 

 complain that land was misused and to demand an inquiry, 

 landowners would be obliged to keep their sporting pro- 

 clivities within such limits as not to lay themselves open to 

 the risk of having their land bought compulsorily and 

 losing their sport altogether. Such as remained to them 

 would not interfere with the interests of the locality ; while 

 on the tracts of land which would increasingly fall into 

 public hands, parts of which could be afforested, sport in 

 many forms could be organised for a wider public and be 

 brought within the enjoyment of many to whom it is now an 

 injury and an offence. The man who devotes wealth and 

 energy to the rearing of hand-fed pheasants is useless, 

 dangerous, and ought to be abolished. The man who can 

 spend a holiday in natural sport is a source of health to the 

 community and ought to be encouraged. 



(iii) The third category of Game Laws is the system of 

 licences imposed on persons who have lawfully to do with 

 game. And as long as the Game Laws are not abolished 

 these will remain. Hence the demand that they should be 

 increased and amplified, and that to the other burdens 

 which it is now rightly sought to put upon the rich there 

 should be added a heavy tax on game-preserving. 



