Piratical Publishers.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6384, 27 November 1890, Page 2

Piratical Publishers.

The Author , of September IBth, the organ of the Society of Authors (incorporated), conducted by Walter Besant, has an article on “English Authors and the Colonial Book Market.’' It points out that English novelists have a large and over increasing market in the colonies, and that some steps ought to be taken to prevent robbery by American pirated editions of their works being imported into the colonies, defrauding the English authors of the profits to which they are justly entitled. The Author gives the result of answers it has received to a set of general questions sent to the colonies as to the importation of pirated editions, and the colonial laws in existence for the prohibition of such works From the replies, it appears that pirated editions are imported freely into Africa, parts of India, British Guiana, but not to any extent into Australia or New Zealand. In some colonies, what legal protection the law affords is enforced, in others it is not, For there is Imperial legislation to

meet the point. If the books are registered at Stationers’ Hall an import duty of 20 per cent on the published price is collected by the Customhouse for the good of the owner of the copyright. In Australia and New Zealand, where Ihe Customhouse officials levy the duty carefully, pirated editions are by no moans rife. Lists of English copyright books are sent by the British Customhouse to Wellington, and thence distributed to the Collectors of Customs at the different ports. The Collector of Customs at one of the ports last year destroyed a quantity of mueio from America because of infringement of English copyright. From Auckland The Author stales it has received information the law is efficiently worked, while from Dunedin it is reported that no bookseller worthy of the name would import reprints to the prejudice of the publishers of the old country. It is stated that neither in Australia nor New Zealand are pirated editions of English works openly exposed for sale, and the damage done to authors in these colonics by their sale is of course very slight. The colonial booksellers have pointed out with great unanimity that the most certain remedy imaginable for the evil complained of, would be to issue cheap authorised editions for the colonial 4

market. A colonial edition of more expensirebooks is already issued by several publishers, and the plan has proved successful. It is suggested that the same plan should be tried for cheaper books ; that, in fact, the 3s 6d, ss, and 6s novel, as each appears in England, should be accompanied by a Is, Is 6d, and 2s paper-covered edition for the colonies. ■