COPYRIGHT ACT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17108, 14 November 1929, Page 13

COPYRIGHT ACT

FREE STATE STATUTE QUESTIONS IN HOUSE OF LORDS (Eloc. Tul. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received Nov. 1.4, 3 p. 111.) LONDON, Nov Ul. In the House of Lords, Lord l/auosI'ort. drew attention to the. Irish Free Stale Copyright I’i.esei-vat lons Act, a section of which is designed to render nugatory an appeal pending in the Privy Council. He moved disapproving of siu-h legislation. Lord I’assliehl, replying, regretted that the subject had been raised in the form of attacking Dominion legislation. It was not constitutional, and retlectod on the action of the Dominion Parliament. The motion must add In the difficulties of the Imperial constitutional law conference, now silting. The fact was that the Act was ii-ct-ro-(lnccd fo prevent anyone taking advantage of a fact discovered in the .Free State Supreme Court, that no copyright law existed in Ireland between '192-2 and 1927.

“1 inn speaking on behalf of all the Doinininns wlp-u I suggest it is not a good plan to lake any Dominion Act anil ascribe intentions and motives to those introducing and passing it,” added Lord Pass-Held. The Government had made representations to Dublin in July, and, having received the Free State’s explanation, decided mil to take further steps. Lord Salisbury: It is surely not dis-'i-espectfill to draw the attention of the Free State to the orderliness wit h which the great Dominions accepted the law as it stood. Lord Danesfort said he did not desire to injure the deliberations of the conference, while protesting against Lord Pass.fiehl’s action, and withdreAV the motion.