ENEMY PATENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2303, 10 November 1914, Page 7

ENEMY PATENTS

■ 9. . . - ' WHAT IS THE POSITION P •Many merchants are anxiously inquiring ('says the l Melbourne "Age") how far they -will be protected in'the event of incurring the initial expenses of laying down plants to produce German or Austrian inventions that have been patented in Australia. A similar question arose in England, and in reply to a discussion in the House of Commons the President of the Board of Trade stated'that the object of the New Patents Act and the amending Bill was to sustain, but not necessarily to destroy, patents. It -would be competent for the Govenunont during the wax to Teceive such royalties as the Board of Trade might nominate tus being fair ; and equitable in each particular case, j Theso royalties would be'held by the i State -until tlie conclusion of the -war. ' If it was then discovered that Germany and Austria had cancelled patents held, ; in those countries •by British subjeots ' the patents held in England by Germans I and Austrians would be siriiilarly ] dealt with. On the other hand, if Ger- 1 many and Austria consented to keep alive patents held by British subjects, the Government would' be prepared, to sustain the patents granted to or held in England bv Germans or Austrians.. • Tho British Government,' though, had ' taken power to grant licenses to British subjects to uso patonts in England, not. J only during the period of the war, but also for the full term of the patent, so that those manufacturers who did take ' up licenses would have the satisfaction ■ of knowing that throughout the life of < the pftteht their property'.would iot.be \ jeopardised. Legislation of'a similar ' character has been adopted in Canada, 3 but up to the present nothing has been J enacted in Australia or New Zealand. i