COPYRIGHTED MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 19, 24 January 1929, Page 18

COPYRIGHTED MUSIC

RIGHT TO BROADCAST

HOW IT WAS OBTAINED

vVhilo in Rome in May last, Mr. S. G. Baymond, K.C., of Christchurcb, who returned from abroad by the Corinthic last week, represented New Zealand at the International Copyright Conference, at which he and the Australian representative were able to obtain for the Dominion and the Commonwealth, authority to exercise control over thq operations of the Performing Eights Association, which threatened an injunction against tho New Zoaland Broadcasting Company in respect of the right to broadcast musical itcinß. It was as a result of Mr. Bayinond's fight.at the,-convention .that the logislatiori contained in the Copyright (Temporary)- Amendment /Act was passed.

Coininontieg on thio proceedings of the conference on his return to, Christchurch,'Mr. Baymond said that sixtynjno nations wero represented, many of them by powerful delegations. Siuce the previous:conference at Berlin, in 190S, broadcasting,had arisen and the rights of the composers and performers —represented cverywhe.ro by a vast combine of musical publishers and other interests,: called tho Performing Eights Association—furnished the most interesting and hottest controversy at the conference. Australia and New Zealand had interests differing from those of all other countries, except Norway, and, to some extent Denmark. So it came to pass that aa New Zealand's: representative he was in .the thick of tho con. troversy. ' Finally lie aud Sir Harrison Moore, the ' Commonwealth delegate, secured the reservation to each country of the right of dealing as it saw ii't with' broadcasting rights, subject to payment of reasonable remuneration to tha representatives of the composers and performers to be fixed, in case of dispute, by a competent authority set up by the country dealing with the mattor. The two Dominions wore able to secure this through unanimity being roquircd by the Cpyright Unions' constitution beforo an addition or alteration was made to the Copyright Convention. The British interests were not identical with those of New Zealand, but Mr. Eaymond spoke appreciatively of tho advantage th^ Dominions derived from being members of tho British Umpire. If it had not been for that, he said, it was quite on the cards that the Con-, tincntal countries might have endeavoured to exclude them from the union. His report to the New Zealand Government was now in print and he hoped that it would be helpful. '