[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS SOUGHT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1911, Page 9

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS SOUGHT.

THE SUPPLY OK BOOKS. DttNEtJIN, 25th August. For soflio time a firm trf booksellers a<nd publishers in the Commonwealth have followed the practice of securing the exclusive rights of popular American novels throughout Australia and New Zealand, and all the book-selling trade in the Commonwealth and the Dominion have had to obtain supplies through this channel, individual importing from America being denied them. v A second syndicate has recently been lormed, in which, it is understood, a leading New Zealand boOK-selling firm has a large interest. This syndicate is turning attention to English novels, and already they have secured the Australian and New Zealand rights of half a dozen popular works of fiction, In consequence j of what promises to prove a curtailment t>{ their respective business, local bocksellers are forwarding a strongly-worded letter t of protest to the Publishers' As* aociation of Great Britain and Ireland I against what is in their id«a an at- , tempt at establishing an unfair monopoly. The disputing bookeelters allege that, i/ the syndicate is allowed to pursue its plan unchecked, the outcome will be a j monopoly of the greater part of tho trade in fiction, leaving for the rest of the bogk-selii&g fraternity, only, such

business as can. be done with the* individual customer over the counter at a greatly reduced profit. The protesting firms allege that the latest more oft the part Af the syndicate will tend, ultimately, to eliminate competition-, and place tRe reading public at the mercy of monopolists.