Page:The copyright act, 1911, annotated.djvu/70

 '^^ Copyright Act, 1911.

§5 (1). refused he could bring an action against the proprietor and join the infringer as defendant.

EXISTING LAW. Notwithstanding sect. 18, an article may be contributed to a periodical under express or implied terms that the copyright shall belong to the proprietor for all purposes (u).

§5(2). (2) The owner (o) of the copyright (p) in any work may assign the right (q), either wholly or partially, and either generally or subject to limitations to the United Kingdom or any self- governing dominion (r) or other part of His Majesty's dominions to which this Act extends (s), and either for the whole term of the copyright or for any part thereof, and may grant any interest in the right by licence, but no such assignment or grant shall be valid unless it is in writing signed by the owner of the right in respect of which the assignment or grant is made, or by his duly authorised agent:

Provided that, where the author (t) of a work is the first owner of the copyright therein, no assign- ment of the copyright, and no grant of any interest therein, made by him (otherwise than by will) after the passing of this Act, shall be opera- tive to vest in the assignee or grantee any rights with respect to the copyright in the work beyond the expiration of twenty-five years from the death of the author, and the reversionary interest in the copyright expectant on the termination of that

(n) Hereford V. Griffin a848;, 16 Sim. 190.

(o) Sect. 5 (1).

(p) Sect. 1 (2).

(q) Sect. 5 (3).

(r) Sect. 65 (1) ("Self-governing dominion").

(s) Sects. 25(1), 26(1), 27, 28.

(t) Sects. 16(2), 19(1), 21. �� �