The Pay of Authors.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 109, 4 July 1885, Page 4

The Pay of Authors.

Poor General Grant h receiving something like eight guineas a page for his contributions to "The\Gentury." This means 2£d for every word he puts on paper. Lord Tennyson, it would also appear, is not underpaid. Years, ago he received from Moxon £1,500 a year in royalties. Later, when Messrs Strachan and Co. printed his poesies, H reoeived £5,000 a year for works then in existence, .and a. separate payment for any new matter. Under this arrangement his lordship 'garnered in five year? £lU,OOO. ' King and Co. followed with rather a better bargain, paying the poet £4,000 a year, witfra separate' account for new books'. His lordship Tvaa certainly more fortunato than a fellow singer at Leipzig. The story goes that of a certain wooing of the muses " Epithala'mium " went astray. The writer demanded an indemnity of 33 marks, this being the honorarium which he was to have received for his verses if they had arrived in time to be of use. The German poptal authorities, on the other hand, will only allow the injured poet indemnity at the rate of 3 marks per kilograme this being the fixed price for spoiled wares. Hence, under thia decision, poetry in Germany may be sold, like grocery, by weight, and not, as heretofore, y metre^

The polling under the Local Option olauses of the Licensing Act at Helensville resulted in a majority of 22 against the increase. The ny mbers were :— For, 11 ; against; 33.