COPYRIGHT MUSIC

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1926, Page 4

COPYRIGHT MUSIC

AMUSEMENT PLACES MUST PAY LICENSE. ■ AUCKLAND, Aug. 10. An interesting position has arisen in connection with the determination of tiio Australasian Performing Right Association to enforce its rights in New Zealand with respect to the public use of copyright music. Demands havq already been made upon the Radio Broadcasting Company for a. percentage of the gross revenue in return for permission to broadcast copyright songs and musical pieces, and owners of all places of amusement will also be called upon to make a contribution. This will affect such places as theatres, cinemas, concert halls, cabarets, dance Dalis, skating rinks and restaurants and their owners will be asked to take out licenses by the Performing, Right Association before'the copyright music under the association’s control can be played on the premises. Through its affiliations with various foreign societies, such as the French and Ttahan societies, the association represents approximately 14,000 British

and foreign copyright owners, with repertoire of 2,000,000 works and the licenses to Ixj issued will cover the whole of this repertoire. The cost of the licenses will be computed on the seating capacity, but the charge will be (juite nominal, ranging from 23s a year upwards. The demands of the 'association are based upon the New Zealand Copyright Act, 1913, which protects musical work during the lifetime of the composer and for fifty years afterwards, and carries a penalty for infringement of tile performing rights. The situation is viewed with some concern by the owners of theatres and others pll’.ces or amusements, but the association asserts it is claiming no new powers, or rights, other than those conferred upon it by the Copyright Act and hitherto not taken advantage of. It is acting strictly on behalf of authors, composers >iul publishers in order to secure for them the benefits they are entitled to under the existing law. Most importanti of all it hopes to encourage musical composers in their work by securing for them something like an adequate reward for their inventive efforts. The association intends to give effect to its rights as from September 1. Application forms for licenses will be forwarded to the owners of places of amusement, almost immediately.