§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
610LORD MONKSWELLMy Lords, this Bill comes before the House under totally different circumstances from those of the Literary Copyright Bill. The latter Bill passed through a Select Committee of your Lordships' House, but the evidence with regard to the Artistic Copyright Bill was not completed. This Bill has been absolutely and entirely redrafted by Lord Thring, and it therefore differs, not only in form, but to a considerable extent in substance, from the Bill of last year. I believe, however, that those interested in the production and sale of works of art will greatly prefer the Bill as it now stands to the Bill of last year. Whereas last year the Bill proposed certain restrictions on copyright, both as to the place of producing the artistic work and the nationality of the producer, and as to registration, the Bill as it at present stands sweeps away every one of those conditions and gives the widest possible copyright. In the Bill of last year, also, a, longer term of copyright were given for different kinds of artistic work This Bill, again, sweeps away those distinctions, and gives the longer term to every description of artistic work. There are, no doubt, other more or less substantial differences between this Bill and the Bill of last year, which are the result, to a great extent, of the evidence that was put before us. I will not attempt to point out these differences, partly because I admit that this Bill is put before the House in a tentative form, and partly because there was such a great difference of opinion between the witnesses who were examined as to the interpretation of last year's Bill that I am not able to say with confidence in what particulars this Bill differs from the one of last year. Whilst for the form we are indebted to Lord Thring, as regards the substance of the measure Lord Knutsford and myself were consulted, and the Bill in its present form must be considered as being not only agreed to by Lord Thring and myself, but also by Lord Knutsford.
§ Bill read 2a (according to order), and referred to a Select Committee.
§ The Lords following were named of the Select Committee—
- L. Chancellor.
- E. Selborne.
- V. Knutsford.
- L. Balfour.
- L. Hatherton.
- L. Monkswell.
- L. Thring.
- L. Farrer.
- L. Welby.
- L. Davey.
- L. Avebury.
§ The Committee to meet on Tuesday next, at Twelve o'clock, and to appoint their own Chairman.