17

A.—2

No. 17. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 31st August, 1905. I have the honour to communicate to you, with a view to the attention of traders in the colony being drawn to the matter, the following representations made by His Majesty's Consul in Buenos Aires in a despatch to the Foreign Office, respecting the registration of trade-marks in the Argentine Republic. Mr. Consul Ross suggests from what has come under his notice that the importance of registration in the Republic of marks well known and therefore valuable is not understood or appreciated by the British merchant either in the United Kingdom or in the colonies. He states that, according to the Argentine law, it is permissible for any one to register in the Republic a trade-mark for one class or for any number of different classes of goods, provided that mark has not already been registered in that country; that the cost of registration, including agents' fees, is about £10, and the time necessary to obtain registration about six weeks, and tha/t registration gives protection for about ten years. Attention is called to the serious disadvantage which may result from nonregistration. A person not necessarily being the real owner of a particular trade-mark, but having registered that mark in the Argentine, can lay an embargo on any goods he may find bearing that mark, although such goods may have been made by the original owner of the mark and have been legitimately introduced into the country. An instance is given of the case of a Canadian firm which has been selling for some years under a special mark, and now finds that it may not import its own goods into the Argentine Republic under that mark because it has been registered by a firm of importers in Buenos Aires; and, so far as the Consul can learn, there is no remedy except for the original owners to buy up the local registered owner of the mark, unless the manufacturer is prepared to invent and push another trade-mark. Registration in the Argentine Republic can be effected by an agent acting under a power of attorney in the form enclosed, which should be certified to by an Argentine Consul; and His Majesty's Consul at Buenos Aires has declared his willingness to furnish the name of a reliable patent agent in that city. I have, &c, ALFRED LYTTELTON. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

No. 18. (General.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 21st September, 1905. With reference to my circular despatch of the 20th June last respecting the form of licenses for the establishment of wireless-telegraphy stations, I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, a copy of a letter from the General Post Office with regard to certain statements which have recently been observed in the Press as to the contemplated establishment of wireless communication between Australia and New Zealand. I shall be glad if you will invite your Ministers to be good enough to comply with the requests of the Postmaster-General. I have, &c, ALFRED LYTTELTON. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.M.G., X.C.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 12th September, 1905. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to say, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that he has recently observed statements in the Press to the effect that arrangements have been made for the establishment of wireless telegraph communication between Australia and New Zealand, at a cost of £28,000; and also that negotiations have been taking place between the Government of Natal and the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company for the establishment of a wireless station at Durban, but that as these negotiations have been unsuccessful other arrangements are now contemplated.

3—A. 2.