THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
in different parts of the country, and is fixed by the orders issued by the 
Home Secretary or the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in pursuance of the 
power conferred by these statutes. 
CUSTOMS AND INLAND REVENUE ACT, 1893 
56 Viet., c. 7 
This Act was passed in 1893 to get over a difficulty in regard to the 
importation and sale of game from abroad. In the case of Regina v. Guyer 
a licensed dealer, having partridges exposed for sale in the close time, 
was prosecuted and convicted at Westminster for selling game out of 
season. It was contended for the defence that the Act which imposed a 
penalty for so doing (1 & 2 Will. IV, c. 32) did not apply to game received 
from abroad. On appeal from the magistrate’s conviction it was held 
by two judges against one (Mr Justice Manisty) that the defendant was 
not liable. This decision having been followed in the case of Pudney v. 
Eccles, where it was held that an excise licence was not required for the 
sale of foreign game (which would result in a loss of revenue), the Act 
of Parliament now under notice was passed to secure the revenue by 
enacting that an excise licence is necessary to deal in game imported 
from abroad. 
PARTRIDGE SHOOTING IN IRELAND ACT, 1899 
62 Viet., c. 1 
Before the passing of this Act it was illegal to shoot partridges in 
Ireland before September 20, the game season ending on January 10 
(37 Geo. Ill, c. 21) ; but on the representations of a certain number of Irish 
sportsmen made to the justices at Quarter Sessions, as well as to the 
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, that it would be more convenient if partridge 
shooting in Ireland were to commence on September 1 and end on 
February 1, as in England, a Bill was introduced by Mr John Redmond, 
Mr Horace Plunket and others for the purpose of legalizing the alteration, 
and was passed on March 27, 1899. 
In the opinion of many old sportsmen this Act was a mistake, as tending 
to increase the destruction of partridges in Ireland by allowing them 
to be killed at too early an age, and facilitating the shooting of them by 
unlicensed persons. These anticipations have been unfortunately realized, 
432 
