IMPORTANT QUESTION of COPY RIGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6823, 29 September 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

IMPORTANT QUESTION of COPY RIGHT.

A'case of groat importance to photographers; and in lepsdesree to artists generally, was de-u-iitly'by the British Court of" Appeal.. It appoare-that \vhenth.u -Australians cricketer.? were. , play ing "at, , the Oval, ..the' London Stereoscopic Company.deputed one of-their i employes to photograph the team. The nega-tive-was tkeu registered under.theprovision's of the Copyright Act, in the names of Messrs. Nott'-ge and Kinnaird,' who trade under tho name of tho above company. -This photograph was alleged to have been pirated by a photographer ofLaeck, i:ain"d Jackson, who was thereupon made defendant in an action for. infringement of copyright. The Act provides that the.name of the "author" of a painting, drawing or photograph shall he registered with tbe subject, and Mr.'-Jas'tise Field, before whom the afction was originally tried, held that the '"man who actually took the negative was the author within the meaning of the Act," and so £,ave judgment for tlie defendant. Against this decision the plaintiffs appealed, and their Lor jijhips confirmed the decision of.the Court below, and dismissed the appeal with costs.