NATION OF HYPOCRITES.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLVII, Issue 52, 31 December 1920, Page 3

NATION OF HYPOCRITES.

BOOKMAKERS' POST OFFICE. lOOMMEXTS OF ENGLISH JUDGE. Damages assessed at "one sovereign —B, paper one" —were awarded to Mr E. W. 'Beston and Bepeagents, Ltd., of wthidh the former is a director, of Corporation' Street, Birmiagllram, in their action against Messrs C. Arthur 'Pearson, litdv, for infringement of copyright.

The plaintiffs, who carry on business 88 turf com mission agents, said they were the owners of the copyright of a work called "Mv 'Mormon Husband," which t'hev purchased from the author, Mr !F. E. Farnco'inibe, for £2O. It afterwards appealed in- Pearson's Weekly. JBhe defendants denied infringement, land said they had themselves purchased stsi« c&py right from the author for 85 guineas.

Mr Earncom'l>e, who gave evidence on sulbptena for the defence, was crossexamined tby Mr Disturnal, 'counsel for plaintiff.

'Counsel: Did you realise that when Jrou signed 1 the receipt for £2O you purported to pass the copyright in 'this 5fiSS. to the plaintiff?—l understood 1 I was obliging Mr Beston, 'by carrying on the eaimloufflage of his office.EEs Lordship: You are not answering Hiie question. . Mr iPamcomibe: No; I- did not understand that. I should not- have Ibeen a fool as to sell' it for £Bo.' I Has given to understand that !ho whole iffiing was a stent to carry on the Camouflage about this supposed publishing (business which 'Mr Beston had not

When he joined tlhe Aiimy, said the ■Witness, Mr Beaton, for whom he* hail written a number of MSB., entertained jirnii to a dinner, 'to -wthittlh •Sir Beaton, fijso invited' 40 of his bookmdßdng friends.

"Ilfcr Justice Darling: "Mien 1 ther# Wire ■lO who were not going to t'he war rejoSdag over one who was. (Laiugjhter.) fiid he give you .another dinner when you returned! —No. (Laughter.) FIRM'S 100 TYPISTS.

His iLordsfhip, giving judgment, said it was a very peculiar action, and: was brought 'by 't!he people 'who called themeelves the Britannia Publishing Agency, but wih'O on the evidence were fboolcsnakera carrying on an enonmous businees in the Midlands. "They are established in Birmingham, iii> palatial premises, and wc are told they employ 100 typists, which I think is about •three 'times as many as accompany the representatives of England when they go to Brussels or Spa. to do the whole busmeßS of the 'Government in regard Ho peaee between the Allies and Gern&ng. "This enormous business the Post Office does all it can to facilitate by establishing on the premises a private post office for 'the expedition and delivery of letters, so "that it can' be carried on with expedition, and 'for the convenience of people who want to 'bet mitJh, these bookmakere. At the same •tamo in various police courts imoney is spent in'.prosecuting" people who carry to (betting businesses, but those are people<toOto don't do it in the properly tSKwepbaaned legal way. ■ "NSbody can be surprised! ith'ait there tiro those, ifcot resident in this country, Ttho look on us asi a nation of (hypocrite®.- It all depends upon whether make the proper kind of genuflection to the law "of 'England or whwUi'eT you don't." (iLaughter.) He (held that the copyright in this iboob badi been bought by the plaintiffs, Undi thot tbe dsefendianits had: infringed' bbi Alt lthe Satmc tiiine, it was only fair io jlay :th«t when Messrs Pearson' paid SJf-goineas for it they had not, the least. itoi St belonged to anyone but the ootbor. assessed 1 the damages' alt «M wwewSgn-—"a papw one "~". gov® fig. (Unit sato "witfh ooet«.