PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE-MARKS. FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1942 Session I, H-10

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1942. NEW ZEALAND.

PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE-MARKS. FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 128 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Act, 1921-22.

REPORT.

(The figures in parentheses are for 1940.) I have the honour, in accordance with section 128, to submit my report on the administration of the Act during the year 1941. The business of the Office is indicated generally in the tables annexed. Patents. As is to be expected the classes of inventions which show an increase in the number of applications filed in respect thereof are those relating to mechanisms of warfare, such, for example, as explosives and firearms 34 (26) ; marine and submarine 27 (12) ; building construction 23 (15) ; telephony and telegraphy 246 (223) ; and vehicles 44 (27). Reciprocal arrangements have been made with the British authorities in regard to patents in respect of war inventions, and co-operation has also been arranged between the Patent Office and the Inventions Board to ensure that all inventions which may assist in the war effort are investigated in conjunction with the service Departments concerned. Tbade-makks. The Trade-mark Regulations under the Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Amendment Act, 1939, came into force during the current year, and the new classification of goods, based upon that adopted by the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property, then operated. New Zealand, therefore, has now established uniformity with Great Britain and other unionist countries in this respect. The obvious advantages are that it renders possible the uniform registration of trade-marks in the various unionist and other countries which have adopted the scheme, and tends to reduce the number of classes in which a trader's mark need be registered. The opportunity was availed of as from the date when the new Trade-mark Regulations came into force to lay the foundation of modern systems of trade-mark indexing which will considerably facilitate the work involved in the gradual change-over of registrations from the old to the new classification. General. The difficulties arising out of the war in regard to industrial property are being met in New Zealand, as in other countries, by emergency provisions which, with appropriate safeguards, enable patent and other industrial property rights to be protected and maintained during the war with a minimum of formality. Staff. I regret to have to record the death on active service during the year of Pilot Officer R. J. Minnis. Mr. Minnis was a popular member of the staff and had a very creditable career in the Air Force. The following members of the staff are at present on war service: Messrs. W. F. N. Gardner, J. G. Gow, R. W. Walker, T. 0. Brandford, and H. C. Smith. Conclusion. The Appendix contains A. Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ended 31st December, 1941. B. Table showing Receipts and Payments for each of the Last Ten Years. C. Total Number of Applications for Patents and for Registration of Designs and Trademarks recorded for the Years 1914 to 1941 (inclusive). A. H. Ihle, Commissioner of Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks. The Patent Office, Wellington, 15th June, 1942.

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APPENDIX.

PATENT OFFICE. A.— Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ended 31st December, 1941. -Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Patent fees .. .. .. .. 10,158 8 3 Salaries, &c. .. .. .. .. 4,214 5 0 Design fees .. .. .. .. •• 118 17 3 Fuel, light, power, and water .. .. .. 36 14 7 Trade-marks fees .. .. .. .. 2,749 2 6 Rent, maintenance, and repairs .. .. 313 12 0 Sales of Acts, Journals, &c.— £ s. d. Patent Office Journal .. .. .. .. 618 011 At the Government Printing Office 114 9 fi Postage, telegrams, and telephones .. .. 202 15 4 At the Patent Office .. 6 9 3 Printing and stationery, &c. .. .. .. 267 3 9 120 18 9 Refunds .. .. .. .. .. 59 12 6 Balance: Cash in Public Account .. .. 7,435 2 8 £13,147 6 9 £13,147 6 9 I hereby certify that the Statement of Receipts and Payments has been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly states the position as disclosed thereby. Copyright fees are not included. —Cyril G. Collins, Controller and Auditor-General. A. H. Ihle, Commissioner of Patents.

B.—Table showing Receipts and Payments for each of the Last Ten Years.

C. —Total Number of Applications for Patents and for Registration of Designs and Trade-marks recorded for the Years 1914 to 1941 (inclusive).

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (497 copies), £3.

By Authority: E. Y. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 942.

Price. 3d.]

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Year. Receipts. Payments. Surplus. Year. Receipts. Payments. Surplus. £ £ £ | £ £ £ 1932 .. .. .. 12,035 4,782 7,253 1937 .. .. .. 13,407 5,623 7,784 1933 .. .. .. 11,695 4,379 7,314 1938 .. .. .. 14,754 6,790 7,964 1934 .. .. .. 12,376 4,709 7,667 1939 .. .. .. 14,134 6,846 7,288 1935 .. .. .. 12,869 4,477 8,392 1940 .. .. .. 12,241 6,076 6,165 1936 .. .. .. 13,276 5,222 8,054 1941 .. .. .. 13,148 5,713 7,435

Year. Patents. Designs. Trade-marks. Total. j Year. Patents. Designs. Trade-marks. ' Total. 1914 1,574 55 687 2,316 1928 2,070 163 1,201 3,434 1915 1,299 89 565 1,953 1929 2,251 125 1,359 3,735 1916 1,261 113 666 2,040 1930 2,103 169 1,265 3,537 1917 1,329 83 619 2,031 1931 2,065 151 999 3,215 1918 1,386 53 695 2,134 1932 1,845 164 925 2,934 1919 1,880 74 1,272 3,226 1933 1,761 143 814 2,718 1920 2,193 109 1,391 3,693 1934 1,766 146 915 2,827 1921 2,115 141 994 3,250 1935 1,730 185 943 2,858 1922 2,183 214 1,103 3,500 1936 1,836 124 1,096 3,056 1923 2,075 183 1,163 3,421 1937 1,832 193 889 2,914 1924 2,085 185 1,338 3,608 1938 1,960 160 860 2,980 1925 2,046 203 1,332 3,581 1939 1,821 137 694 2,652 1926 2,137 204 1,143 3,484 1940 1,277 108 626 2,011 1927 2,052 145 1,325 3,522 1941 1,214 108 534 1,856