A curious case, illustrating the great need of the Ground-
Game Bill, was tried at Muudford Police-court, Norfolk, on Tues- day. The head gamekeeper of Mrs. Lyne Stephens summoned a farmer's son named Giles and two labourers for searching for and pursuing game on several different dates. Giles's farm is held on a yearly tenancy, game-rights being reserved by the landlord. The tenant said that an excess of game was pre- served, and that he had only done what was absolutely essential to preserve his crops. He had employed men with dogs to drive hares away from the crops, and not to kill. When by chance a hare was killed, the men did not take it, but let it lie where it was killed. The farmer said, in effect, that the killing was an accident of protecting his crops, and that he had a right to do that. The Bench held that a technical offence had been committed, but fined the defendants ld. each and costs. Mr. Giles's case is the case of thousands of farmers.
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