Hares Act 1848

Persons in the Occupation of inclosed Ground, and in certain Cases Owners, may kill Hares without a Game Certificate.

That from and after the passing of this Act it shall be lawful for any Person, being in the actual Occupation of any inclosed Lands, or for any Owner thereof who has the Right of killing Game thereon, by himself or by any Person directed or authorized by him in Writing, according to the Form in the Schedule to this Act annexed, or to the like Effect, so to do, to take, kill, or destroy any Hare then being in or upon any such inclosed Lands, without the Payment of any such Duties of Assessed Taxes as aforesaid, and without the obtaining of an annual Game Certificate.

II Authority to kill Hares to be limited to One Person at the same Time in any One Parish; which Authority shall be sent to the Clerk of the Petty Sessions who shall register the same. If Authority revoked Notice to be given of the same.

Provided always, and be it enacted, That no Owner or Occupier of Land as aforesaid shall be authorized to grant or continue, under the Provisions of this Act, Authority to more than One Person, at one and the same Time, to kill Hares upon his Land within any One Parish; and that he shall deliver the said Authority, or a Copy thereof, or cause the same to be delivered, to the Clerk of the Magistrates acting for the Petty Sessions Division within which the said Lands are situate, who shall forthwith register the same, and the Date of such Registration, in a Book to be kept by him for such Purpose, which Book shall be at all reasonable Times open to the Inspection of the Clerk of the Commissioners acting in the. Execution of the Acts for Assessed Taxes or of any of the Collectors of Assessed Taxes within such District; and the said Authority, so soon as it shall have been registered as aforesaid, shall be held good until after the First Day of February in the Year following that within which the same is granted, unless the same be previously revoked, and Notice of such Revocation be given to the Clerk of the Magistrates as aforesaid ; and the said registered Authority, or the unrevoked Register thereof, shall be good and sufficient Evidence of the Right of the Person to whom Authority is given by the same to kill Hares upon the Lands mentioned within the same without having obtained an annual Game Certificate.

III Persons not to be liable to Tax on Game-keepers.

And be it enacted, That no Person so directed or authorized to kill any Hare as aforesaid shall, unless otherwise chargeable, be liable to any Duties of Assessed Taxes as Gamekeeper.

IV To extend to coursing or hunting.

And be it enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act it shall be lawful for any Person to pursue and kill or to join in the Pursuit and killing of any Hare by coursing with Greyhounds, or by hunting with Beagles or other Hounds, without having obtained an annual Game Certificate.

V Not to authorize the laying of Poison.

Provided also, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained shall extend or be taken or construed to extend to the making it lawful for any Person, with Intent to destroy or injure any Hares or other Game, to put or cause to be put any Poison or poisonous Ingredient on any Ground, whether open or inclosed, where Game usually resort, or in any Highway, or for any Person to use any Fire-arms or Gun of any Description, by Night, for the Purpose of killing any Game or Hares.

VI Agreements reserving Game to be still in force.

Provided also, and be it enacted, That where any Tenant Of any Land for Life or Lives, Years, or otherwise, now is or hereafter shall be bound by any Agreement not to take, kill, or destroy any Game upon any Lands included in such Agreement, then and in all such Cases nothing herein contained shall extend or be taken or construed to extend to authorize or empower such Tenant to take, kill, or destroy any Hare upon any such Lands so included in such Agreement, or to authorize any other Person to kill or destroy any Hare upon any such Lands.

VII Interpretation of Act.

And be it enacted, That in the Interpretation of this Act the Singular Number shall extend to several Persons and Things as well as to one Person or Thing; and any Word importing the Plural Number shall apply to one Person or Thing as well as to several Persons or Things ; and every Word importing the Masculine Gender only shall extend to a Female as well as a Male; and that the Word "Agreement" shall include any Covenant, Proviso, Promise, Undertaking, Condition, or Reservation; and that the Word "Parish" shall include any Hamlet, Township, Tithing, or Extra-parochial Place; and for the Purposes of this Act the Word " Night" shall be considered and is hereby declared to commence at the Expiration of the first Hour after Sunset, and to conclude at the Beginning of the last Hour before Sunrise.

VIII To extend to England and Wales only.

And be it enacted, That this Act shall extend to that Fart of the United Kingdom called England and Wales.

IX Act may be amended, &c.

And be it enacted, That this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act to be passed during the present Session of Parliament.