Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 20 March 1920, page 9


LAW REPORT. '

BANCO JURY COTJRT. .

("Before Sir Wm. Cullen, C.J., and Jury.)

FILM PHOTOGRAPHER'S CLAIM.

Higgins v Pugliese.

The plaintiff. Ernest Henry Higgins, theatri-

cal film photographer, sued Caroline Frances Pugliese, claiming £696/10/10, a balance due for work and labour done in connection with the preparation of moving picture films, not-ably one called "The Church and the Woman." There was no dispute as to the work having been performed by the plaintiff, and the Issue raised by the defendant's plea of never In-debted was whether, technically, the right person had been sued. The picture play, known as "The Church and the Woman," was produced by Mr. Longford some time ago, the plaintiff in this action being the photographer. A suit in Equity was brought by the author of a book known as "Tho Priest and the Woman" against Humber Pugliese, alleging plagiar-

ism, and was successful, Mr. Higgins being

ordered to hand over the film to the author Transactions for copies of the film, which proved popular, wore carried on with the plain-tiff by various people, and plaintiff in his evi-dence attempted to show that they were all agents of Mrs. Pugliese, lessee of the Alham-bra Theatre, from whose banking account some £821 had been paid to the photographer for his work. Mr. Windeyer, K.C., and Mr. Jaques (instructed by Mr. U. J. M. Foord) appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Curtis and Mr. Abra-hams (instructed by Messrs. John Williamson and Sons) for the defendant.

The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff

for tho amount claimed.