INSTITUTE OF PATENTS ATTORNEYS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2269, 1 October 1914, Page 9

INSTITUTE OF PATENTS ATTORNEYS

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the members of tho New Zealand Institute of Patents Attorneys was held ill Wellington on Thursday last when there was an attendance of representatives from all parts of the -Dominion."' The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:-President, Mr. A. J. Park; vicepresident, Mr. H. H. Rayward; oouncil, Messrs. O'Donnell, Baldwin, Cflimie, and S. H. Higgs secretary. ■ A recommendation was made to the incoming council to inquire into tho application of the New Zealand Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act to the Cook Islands, and it was suggested that if the consolidating measure -now before the House does not embody a patents law, that tho attention or the Minister 111 charge of the Bill should be called to the necessity of making provision for it. A discussion took place as to the possibility of taking steps to maintain tho validity of German and Austrian patents by the payment of taxes. _ It was suggested that upon the termination of the war the countries mentioned would probably revalidate patents which might have lapsed through nonpayment of fees and several attorneys mentioned that in the meantime they, had remitted taxes to tho German Embassy in England, which is now in charge of the United States Ambassador. ■ Although it was impossible that suoh taxes would be remitted to Germany and Austria, suoh action would, nevertheless, be evidence of tho desire of the patentees to keep their patents in force and might be utilised, after tho termination of the war, w r hcn ap: plication for the reinstatement of the patent was made. In regard to patents of New Zealand, granted to subjects residing in belligerent countries, it was pointed out that such patentees had at present no rights in our civil courts and therefore could hot bring an action to restrain infringements or to recover damages and therefore, such patents were of no effect against manufacturers or others who might .care to take up the inventions which were once covered by the patents. Legislation is possibly necessary in order to protect manfuacturers who might put down machinery and plant for making the inventions during' the war against an action to restrain them which might be brought by tho patentee yhose patent might be revalidated by the terms of peace. A resolution was unanimously passed expressing great dissatisfaction with the accommodation provided at the Gpvernment Patents Office. The volume of patents business has enormously increased in recent years and the accomodation is altogether inadequate. It was suggested that tho building of the new Magistrate's Courthouse would provide a good .opportunity for an ontiro' remodelling of the Patents Office so as to provido proper accommodation for the library and records as well as a Court for tho hearing of patents cases and suitable offices for the Registrar and his staff. A very large annual profit (over £4000 last year) derived from the fees pa id by the inventors goes at present into tho coffers of tho Government, and the meeting expressed the feeling that it was only reasonable ■ and fair that the whole of this amount should bo utilised for the benefit of tlio _ inventors and for tho purpose of facilitating their business at'tho Patents Office.