DOMINION LEGISLATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 283, 14 November 1929, Page 7

DOMINION LEGISLATION

ATTACK IN THE HOUSE OF, LORDS. A MOTION WITHDRAWN. (Reoeievd 14. 1-45 p.m.) (United Press association—By Cable-* Copyrigat.l London, November 18. In the House of Lords, Lord Danes fort drew attention to the Irish Free State Copyright Preservation Act. a section of which was designed to render nugatory an appeal pending in the Privy Council, and moved disapproving of such legislation. Lord Passfield, replying, regretted that the subject had been raised in the form of attacking Dominion legislation. It was not constitutional to reflect on the action of a Dominion Parliament. The motion must add to the difficulties of the Imperial constitutional law conference now sitting. The fact was that the Act was introduced to prevent anyone taking advantage of a fact discovered bv the Free State Supreme Court that nq copyright law existed in Ireland between 1922 and 1927. “I am speaking on behalf of all the Dominions when I suggest that it is not a good plan to take any Dominion Act and ascribe intentions and motives to those introducing and passing it.” The Government had made representations to Dublin in July and had got the Free State’s eaplanation and decided not to take further steps. Lord Salisbury; It surely is not die. respectful to draw the attention of the Free State to the orderliness with which the Great Dominions accepted the law as it stood? Lord Danesford did not desire to injure tho deliberations of the conference, while protesting acainst Lord Passfield’s action, and withdrew the motion.