PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE-MARKS SIXTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, H-10

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1949 NEW ZEALAND

PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE-MARKS SIXTIETH 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

I have the honour, in accordance with section 128, to submit my report on the administration of the Act during the year 1948. The total number of applications for the grant of letters patent and for the registration of designs and trade-marks during the year was 4,137, being 523 less than the previous year. It is evident from the figures since 1945 that most of the applications, deferred during the war years have now been lodged and that henceforth only the normal volume of business may be expected. A substantial increase in the fees collected has again been recorded, the total being £24,498, representing an excess of £7,091 over expenditure. PATENTS The first patent legislation in New Zealand was enacted on 27th October, 1860,, but nearly eighty-eight years were to pass before a total of 100,000 applications werereceived in the Patent Office. That number was reached on 19th August, 1948, and. it is interesting to note that, while it took sixty-three years to record the first 50,000 applications, the second 50,000 were received in twenty-five years. The increasing; number of patent applications in recent years has been due mainly to the advances in the electronic and chemical fields, and the expansion of industry in this country. The 2,469 applications received during the year may be broadly classified asfollows : mechanical engineering, 737 ; electronics, 583 ; chemistry, 360 ; miscellaneous, 273 ; primary industries, 272 ; and building construction, 244. The countries from which applications are received showed little change, except that New Zealand (853) now takes the lead from Great Britain (636), United States of America (447), Australia (207), and Holland (159), with the remainder (167) distributed among fifteen other countries.

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Although the Patent Office is handicapped in the matter of staff and accommodation, substantial progress was made during the year in dealing with the accumulation arising out of the war, and a record total of 2,176 applications proceeded to acceptance. TRADE-MARKS The 1,4-39 applications covered all classes. Classes 5 (pharmaceutical, veterinary, and sanitary substances) and 25 (clothing) again predominated with 190 and 184 respectively; and they were followed by Class 3 (soaps, cosmetics, &c.), 138 ; Class 24 (tissues (piece-goods)), 97 ; Class 1 (chemical products used in industry), 73 ; Class 30 (groceries), 63 ; and Class 9 (electrical apparatus), 62. The countries from which the applications originated were : New Zealand, 510 ; Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 482 ; United States of America, 189 ; Australia, 115 ; Switzerland, 54 ; France, 22 ; Canada, 11 ; and eleven others, 56. Renewal of the registration of 1,401 trade-marks was effected during the year. DESIGNS Applications for the registration of designs totalled 229, making in all 5,840 applications since the inception of design registration in New Zealand. The bulk of the applications were divided between Classes 1, 3, 4, and 5, with 100, 58, 33, and 21 respectively. PATENTS COMMISSION The Commission which was set up under Warrant of the 28th April, 1948, to inquire whether any, and if so what, changes were desirable in the Patents, Designs, and Trademarks Act, 1908, the Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Act, 1921-22, and the several Acts amending those Acts, and in the practice of the Patent Office and of the Courts in relation to matters arising therefrom, began its public sittings, all of which were held in Wellington, on the 11th May, 1948. Further sittings were held at intervals during the remainder of the year, and, as much evidence still remained to be taken, the date on which the Commission was required under the warrant to make its report was extended from the 31st January, 1949, to the 31st July, 1949. The members of the Commission are — Herbert Edgar Evans, Esquire, K.C., of Wellington, Solicitor-General (Chairman); George William Clinkard, Esquire, of Wellington, Secretary for Industries and Commerce ; Andrew John Park, Esquire, of Wellington, Barrister and Patent Agent; Stuart Wentworth Innes-Ker Peterson, Esquire, of Wellington, Manufacturer ; and John Ralfe Smith, Esquire, of Wellington, Communications Engineer. CONCLUSION The Appendix hereto contains the following tables, lists, &c., viz. : A. Receipts and Payments Account for the Year Ended 31st December, 1948. 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 Each of the Last Twenty Years. A. H. Ihle, Commissioner of Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks. The Patent Office, Wellington, 25th May, 1949.

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APPENDIX

PATENT OFFICE A. Receipts and Payments Account for the Year Ended 31st December, 1948 Receipts Payments £ £ Patent fees .. .. .. 17,833 Salaries, &c. .. .. .. 12,421 Design fees .. .. .. 167 Fuel, light, power and water .. .. 45 Trade-mark fees .. .. .. 6,367 Office furniture and equipment .. 786 Sale of publications .. .. .. 131 Rent, maintenance, and repairs .. 310 Patent Office Journal .. .. 2,703 Postages, telegrams, and telephones .. 230 Printing and stationery, &c. .. .. 849 Refunds .. .. .. .. 63 Balance, cash in Public Account .. 7,091 £24,498 £24,498 A. H. Ihle, Commissioner of Patents. 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.— J. P. Rutherford, Controller and Auditor-General.

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 each of the Last Twenty Years

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (728 copies), £7 10s.

By Authority: R. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 949. Price 3d.]

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Year. Receipts. Payments. Surplus. Year. Receipts. Payments. Surplus. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1939 14,134 6,846 7,288 1944 15,631 5,032 ! 10,599 1940 12,241 6,076 6,165 1945 17,247 6,569 i 10,678 1941 13,148 5,713 7,435 1946 18,891 7,586 i 11,305 1942 11.668 5,900 5,768 1947 21,919 13,654 ! 8,265 1943 13,657 4,824 8,833 1948 24,498 17,407 ! 7,091

Year. Patents. Designs. Trademarks. Total. Year. Patents. Designs. I Trademarks. Total. 1929 2,251 125 1,359 3,735 1939 1,821 137 694 2,652 1930 2,103 169 1,265 3,537 1940 1,277 108 626 2,011 1931 2,065 151 999 3,215 1941 1,214 108 534 1,856 1932 1,845 164 925 2,934 1942 1,104 60 398 1,562 1933 1,761 143 814 2,718 1943 1,384 61 678 2,123 1934 1,766 146 915 2,827 1944 2,045 104 924 3,073 1935 1,730 185 943 2,858 1945 2,651 188 1,320 4,159 1936 1,836 124 1,096 3,056 1946 3,025 351 1,766 5,142 1937 1,832 193 889 2,914 1947 2,753 237 1,670 4,660 .1938 1,960 160 860 2,980 1948 2,469 229 1,439 4,137