§ MR. MACVEAGHI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether Dr. Ellis, Local Government Board Auditor, has copyrighted books, forms, and ledgers, which are used by public bodies under the jurisdiction of the Local Government Board in Ireland; whether he derives any, and, if so, what, profit from the sale of such books, forms, and ledgers; and whether the books, forms, and ledgers were devised by Dr. Ellis.
MR. BRYCEThe Local Government Board have no knowledge that Dr. Ellis, or any other member of their audit staff, has copyrighted any such books and forms as are referred to. The forms of account prescribed by the Board have not been copyrighted, and there is no obligation on local bodies to use any other books or forms of account. The system of book-keeping proscribed for local authorities was not devised by Dr. Ellis, but by the Local Government Board with the assistance of their audit staff generally.
§ MR. MACVEAGHHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to an advertisement published by a Dublin firm in which they speak of Dr. Ellis's copyrighted books now used by almost every public body in Ireland? Is the official who supplied this Answer the one who told the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor that these books never were copyrighted?