They went to some of the publishers, and asked them to point out where the shoe pinched, and it appeared that the publishers had a reasonable grievance.  They said that, when they bought what they supposed to be Canadian rights, sometimes before they could get their books on the bookshelves, English editions were in the market side by side with the domestic editions.  There was no suggestion that the British publishers acted otherwise than in perfect good faith; but wholesale dealers were in the habit of purchasing large numbers of books, and sending some to the Cape and Australia, and some to Canada.  It appeared that something would be done in connection with that, by explaining it to the British publishers, and asking them to assist in passing legislation to carry it into effect.  If the clause was carried in England, the Canadian Government would pass an Act to enforce it there.”

Mr. H.L.  Thompson, a member of the publishing house of The Copp, Clark Company, was also present.  Mr. Thompson said that “the copyright question in Canada was understood very slightly by the people at large, and if they mentioned copyright they thought it had something to do with monopoly.  Speaking of his own house, he could say they cordially supported the suggestion made by Professor Mavor.”  It is difficult to understand why Mr. H.L.  Thompson and his partner, Mr. Thomas, are now, only two years afterwards, to be found advocating exactly the contrary views.

The following resolution was adopted by the Congress:—­

“That it is eminently desirable in the interests of English owners of copyright, and for the maintenance of the Convention of Berne, that some satisfactory arrangements should be entered into with Canada in regard to copyright matters.  On this ground the Conference desires to give cordial support to the proposal brought forward by Professor Mavor.”

In the year 1900, a bill was introduced by Lord Monkswell into the House of Lords to consolidate the law relating to literary copyright.  At the instance of the Canadian Authors’ Society a clause was introduced into this bill empowering the Legislature of any British possession if a book had been first lawfully published in any other part of Her Majesty’s Dominions, and it was proved to the satisfaction of an officer, appointed by the Government of such possession to receive such proofs, that the owner of the copyright had lawfully granted either a license to import for sale in such British possession, or a license to reproduce therein by any process, an edition or editions of any such book designed for sale only in such British possession, it should be lawful for the Legislature of such possession by Act or Ordinance to provide for the prohibition of the importation, except with the written consent of the licensee, into such possession of any copies of such book printed elsewhere except under such license as aforesaid, except that two copies might be specially imported for the bona fide use of each of the public free libraries, of the university and college libraries, and law libraries of any duly organized law institution or society for the use of its members.