COPYRIGHT MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 132, 25 August 1927, Page 13

COPYRIGHT MUSIC

PAYMENT OF ROYALTY AN INTERNATIONAL QUESTION (THE SUN’S Parliamentary ’Reporter .) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The attitude of the Australasian Performing Rights’ Association in compelling all local authorities and other associations controlling public halls to take out licences was the subject of a question in the House by Mr. PI. S. S. Kyle, Riccarton, who asked the At-torney-General whether local authorities or others can refuse to accede to the demands of the association. “I understand that the Australasian Performing Rights Association is the owner or agent for the owners of practically all British copyright music, published or to be published in New Zealand,” said Mr. Rolleston in his reply, consequently the association has a legal right to request payment in respect of public performance of all or any of such music, and to insist on licences being obtained. The question of copyright is both an Imperial and international one, and an international conference, at which New Zealand will be represented, is being held at Rome in October next to discuss a revision of the law. When this conference is concluded the Government will consider the question of whether it will be possible to legislate in the direction of regulating the fees that can be charged in inspect of performance of copyright works.