NON-CAPSIZABLE BOAT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 556, 10 July 1909, Page 14

NON-CAPSIZABLE BOAT.

DEPUTATION TO MIMSTEB. jyuimd KR TRIATiS TO BE MADE. Mr. Fisher, inventor of tiiß .iion»«apsizable 0 boat of. which tests have rooently been made, 1 waited on tho Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister E for Marine) yesterday in regard to tho in- | vention. Section, 28 of tho ( Patents, De- ( signs, and Trade Marks Act; states ; tliat, ( "If on tho petition of any person interested £ itv is proved' to the Government that by t reason of tho default of a patentee to grant ' licenses on reasonable terms—(a) the patent r is not bedng worked in New, Zealand,.or .(b) j the reasonable requirements of the public ( with isspect to tiho invention cannot be sup- '1 plied, or (c) any. person is prevented from :] working or using to the best advantage an ' invention of which ho, is po£6Cssea—the ' Governor may order the' patentee, .'to. grant 1 on snch terms .as to the amoant of ! royalties,■security for payment, or otherwise ? as the Governor having regard to the na- ■ tare of the invention and the circumstances 1 of the, case doems just, and,;anv suoh order 1 may bo enforced by mandamus,". ; Mr. It. A., W right, M.P., introduced Mr. Fisher .-tqVthe^Minister. Mr. Fisher expressed his appreciation of ! the-Government's, in, putting tto Tutanekai at' his disposal for the purpose of l carrying' out tests. Ho : stated that he had : ' been communicating"; with the Union Company, and'theyfhad practically; refused every offer he had made. Three months ago, when it wm first patented, : he offered them the invention for £1000, and'they referred him to thw expert, Mr. M'Jntyre, .who said to .him,; at their interview,': "Mr.': Fisher, r you : have got absolutely tlie best and only prac- • tdrar thing, in the world,.,and I'm, prepared . to recommend the company to build straight ; away." Mr. M'lntyro then went to Dunedin, :and wrote for rough plans to bo sent him. ;Mr. Fisher-took down a model of 'the ' invention,; and; waß introduced, to the lateCaptain Cameron.' Nino; days', after the trial he wroto to the Union Company,; and offered them the patent for £10,000. He-received a reply the l same day which stated; that the matter- had been referred /to their marine superintendent ~to . report on the. offer, but that; it was not probable that the offer, would /bo accepted. Mr. Fisher gave tho -,company a-week to' consider tlhe ,matter, which' ,had been already before their expert, and after somo additional days had elapsed without a fnrfchor answer ..being received, ;, lie telegraphed,.asking if the offer , was. decline'd. ANreply- was .received regretting;' that . the company; could not accept , the offer.;- He then asked if v.they would- make. an'offer en their part, leaving it open .to • them to propose.from Is. to £10,000 for -tho boat. ', received,. a. ajmmunicatio'n - in ; reply.' stating ,that the company could not' do anything in the matter. He was . willing to offer the boat to the Government to test's; it on the Amokura in any way they .liked. He might be leaving for England; in. a week or a month, if 'he hid to work his passage/ - He had, however, been in the colony twenty-five years, and he preferred .that' the' public 'of, iihis- country' should, gfet the benefit of his invention.' • Tho - Minister ; said: he might - toll Mr. Fisher 'at onoe ' that ■ hia _ experts; Baid' the boat-would.irequire ma.terial alterationo before it was;;' effective. ' Its, J construction Showed a; want, of practical knowledge' of the ;actoal,;w6rlring 'of boats,/and . if- Mr.; Fisher had had the/ advico ; ef _ practical men ho t Mr, Fisher said tiat : tbe absence of motive power had;.been. condemned. If he had- had plenty' h'ave put petrol into it; and-navigated it , round' the.-harbour; The boat oould be eqaipped v/ith. petroKengines, oars, or- sails; or wth 'a steering-oar. -Ha had followed the -sea for ton or twelve; years, and- had a practical knowledge of . boats. Though the motive power ,wis not iii the boat, it could be put. in.- '/ t";' ■ The Minister, said that that matter could be easily settled if the principle was right. Ho thoiig.ht,that J .f,urthcr,experimDnts .were needed before it be said.that the principle was right. It was quite a different thing ■to handle,a boat „in,,the. smooth,-sea j of : the harbourCaiid in hea^;, a lifeboat would, be required to' live. ' It' was riot saiji that the principle' was faulty, . but his experts thought that considerable alterations would be. needed before the boat was; of use. Ho would want the boat launched off: Terawhiti, or at Island; Bay, in; a : heavy southerly sea, beforo ho waa satisfied witli the trials. Tho ■ Oepiirtment was not ! absolutely free;; the ■ Board' of Trade i regulated shipping, "throughi out the worldj and thoy would have' to be | very certain of ground before; compel-' '■ ling',,tho .substitution of any. patent for tie ' present/appliances; They..Would require more . severe tests, before considering /the present - invention as a matter for' either regulations 1 or' legislation. Mr; .Fisher ,asked 'if. tho. Minister could ' providb for' another trial. ' ; ' j " Mr. ; .Millar chat 1 ' that .was; outside the functions, of tho'Governmeiit. They could j- not givo trials-to ' everv patent ''that iwas, brought 'forward, -but when the, value/of :a r " thing, was: proved,; and it-was a .commercial 3 proposition,/the Government, might,be asked to take it up.. But for any;trial that' Was 2 wanted in the harbour, if there .was a Government ; steamer in port he would give Mr. J Fisher the use of it, so'long as no'expense 1 to the Government was involved. ' 7

:Nr. Fisher thanked the Minister, who Baid that if they could get a leal first-class lifeboat which would minimise loss of life \t:was ohly right, for the Government to offer any facilities they could. '* ■ : , Mr. Fisher said he would equip' the! boat with outriggers, sf crutoher, and sculls for a further test. : . .< ■ '