"MISS LANCASHIRE, LTD."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 828, 28 May 1910, Page 13

"MISS LANCASHIRE, LTD."

In the Oldham County Court, Englarai; recently, Mr.' T. B. Leigh, barrister, applied on behalf of the trustees in the bankruptcy of Mr. Brisbane Doyle for a declaration that the right of representing "Miss Lancashire, Limited," belonged to Mr. Doyle.

The application, said Mr. Leigh, was supported by an affidavit by the trustee, in which it was set forth that the play was registered in 1905, and was declared to be the property of Brisbane Doyle.

Mr. Rigby Swift, barrister, who appeared tor Miss Florence Baines, said that Hiss Baines claimed to be the owner of the .rights of representation of "Miss Lancashire, Limited," and had made a declaration to that effect before the Oldham Registrar. She declared that the play and (ho rights 'of production were her sole and absolute property.

She wrote the book of the play. Six or seven years ago, she continued, she met Brisbane Doyle. She (Miss Baines) was then a music-hall. artist, and a great deal of the matter contained in "Miss Lancashire, Limited," had been used by her on the variety stage. Sha appointed Doyle as her manager, and decided that, as" he was acting_ in that capacity, it would be bettor if the play was registered as being his property.

His Honour, in. giving judgment, said the whole of the surrounding circumstances, convinced him that tho registration of the play as Mr. Doyle's was simply dono as a matter of business, aud that it was never intended that it should become the property of Atr. Doyle. The claim, therefore, failed, and tho motion must be dismissed. He would not, however, allow Miss Baines costs. Miss Florencß Baines played a season in Wellington last year.