PATENT OFFICE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1770, 7 June 1913, Page 5

PATENT OFFICE.

MORE ROOM REQUIRED,

A memorandum has been addressed to tho Minister for Justice by the New Zealand Institute-of Patent Attorneys, drawing attention to the alleged inadequacy ot the offices set apart for the Patent Oflice library, which, the letter states, is already occupied by two clerks, and •is not properly available to patent attorneys and inventors. The library room is lofty, and the shelves extend to the ceiling, liiaKing it more or less of an. acrobatic feat for the librarian to reaoh the higher shelves. It is suggested that the hours for the library should be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is also pointed out that tho ltegistrar at times holds'hearings in the library, on which occasion's the'librarian and clerks aro removed, and the room is not available to the public. Finally, the letter (which is signed by Messrs. S. Higgs and E. S. Baldwin) states "that the Patent Office returns to tho Consolidated Fund some thousands of pounds per year, and it is submitted that tho incentive public should have a better return for their money than ig supplied by tho present accommodation. The institute urgently request that a Deputyjßegistrnr shall bo, immediately, appointed,'as it viows with'alarm tho prosent state of affairs. The sudden illness or death of tho Registrar," it is urged, "would result in grave inconvenience, and possibly in chaos. He should/* it is claimed, "havo. a deputy as understudy, to be ready at a moment's notice to step automatically into his place/' It the opinion of tho institute that the; above matters call for urgent and immediate attention, and the institute urges that the above facts may have tho Minister's early consideration.