PERFORMING RIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 47, 18 November 1932, Page 18

PERFORMING RIGHTS

Association’s “Vast Power” — I COMPLAINT IN AUSTRALIA ■* “The Australian Performing Right Association has such mighty power that it could charge me up to £lO,OOO a year and I w’ould be compelled to close up.” That statement was made at the Performing Rights Royal Commission in Sydney recently, by Mr. John Fuller, mapaging director of Sir Benjamin and John Fuller Ltd., theatrical entrepreneurs, reports “The World.” “Unless the payment of performing rights is regulated by the Commonwealth Government, I might have to bargain with people who would say: ‘Pay these fees or close down,’ ” stated Mr. Fuller. That the stars, aud not the. music, drew crowds to moving picture per-' formances in most cases was n farther statement made by Mr. Fuller. Yet the A.P.RA. charged double fees on the takings in excess of £lOOO. Fees on Shakespeare. Continuing, Mr. Fuller said that the French A.P.R.A. charged fees on Shakespeare and then divided the profits among the live authors. (Laughter.) Witness suggested the registration of all copyright music at the Patents Office, Canberra, and a registration fee of 1/- a year for each piece of music registered for a period of five years. If music was not registered for five years it should become free.