II

time for payments, and searches show a falling-off. In other respects there is no appreciable difference in the amounts received from the various sources in 1907 as compared with those in the former year. Countries from which Applications were received. Nine hundred and sixty-nine, or 59 per cent., of the applications were received from residents of New Zealand, as compared with 1,101, or 63 per cent., of the total for 190 G. The Commonwealth sent 321, 47 less than in the preceding year —Victoria, 180 (187); New South Wales, 92 (90); Queensland, 19 (36); Tasmania, 6 (22); South Australia, 17 (11); and Western Australia, 7 (22) —and there was also a falling-off in the small number received from France, 8 (11), and Austria, 2 (4), and a few other places. A greater Dumber of applications came id band from the United Kingdom, 133 (119); United States of America, 113 (92); Canada, 13 (12); Denmark. 10 (3); Germany, 15 (10); the figures given in parentheses being the number for 1906. Nature of Inventions. The inventions, as usual, relate to a wide range of subjects, none of which stand out as engaging special attention, the greatest number of applications on any one subject —i.e.., " dairying " —being only 4 per cent, of the total received during the year. Applications in respect of the more important industries of the Dominion show a slight advance: " Dairying," 77 (66) — of which 41 are in respect of milking-machines (19 being in connection with teat-cups), as compared with 22 for the previous year; "sheep-shearing," Ac, "wool and hides," 50 (36); " fibredressing," 44 (37); " harvesting," 28 (21): but there is a falling-off in "minerals," 51 (82); and "cultivating," 36 (47), from the previous year's totals, which are given in parentheses. Increases occur in the number of applications received for "building" and "building-materials," 94 (79) —ferro-concrete construction forming the subject-matter of 14;'" railways and tramways," 73 (70) —33 of which are for trolly-poles and heads, as against 18 for the previous year; "velocipedes," 66 (42) —of which 24 are for means of protecting the tire; "boots and shoes," 62 (56); " indicating and calculating," 61 (41) —due in a greater measure to numerous attempts to provide an efficient temperature-tester for bales of flax and the like; " fencing," 42 (30) —principally in respect of gates and droppers and standards: and "vehicles," 40 (38). Fewer applications were received in connection with "engines " (air, gas, steam, &c), 77 (81); " tools," 39 (53); " furniture," 34 (49); "cooking and kitchen appliances," 33 (63); "lifting, hauling, and loading," 26 (33); " heating," 25 (37); amusements, 23 (46); " harness," 22 (41); " bottles and bottling," 19* (31) —chiefly in respect of non-refillable bottles; "dredging and excavating," 16 (24); " preserving," 15 (5); "washing and cleaning," 14 (21); "pipes, tubes, and hose," 14 (20); "pumps," 14 (23); "shops and hotel fittings," 14 (27); "valves and cocks," 6 (19): the other classes remaining about the same. International Convention. Forty-eight applications for patents were made in New Zealand under the International Convention and according to the special arrangements between this country and the Commonwealth —30 from England, 6 from the United States of America, 2 from Germany, 1 from France, and 9 from Australia. Thirty-six applications were made in pursuance of these provisions in tlnpreceding year, 26 in 1905, and 17 in 1904. The promptitude with which the specifications are printed and received from England and Australia renders it necessary for inventors in those countries to either lose no time in applying here, or else to avail themselves of the benefits of the Convention and arrangements referred to. In certain cases applications made in the ordinary form have been brought under the Convention on attention being directed to the prior receipt of the printed specification, but in others the expiry of the twelve months from the date of the foreign application has unfortunately pre vented that course from being adopted, and the applications have accordingly been refused. Extension of Term. A petition, the third in the history of the office, was presented for the extension of a patent, and for the first occasion caveats were entered against an extension. The matter was referred by the Governor to the Court, and in accordance with its report a fresh patent, containing certain special provisions, was granted for a further period of three years. Publications. The following indexes have been prepared during the year: — (1.) Name Index, from 1861 to 1889. (2.) Name Index, from 1890 to 1893. (3.) Name Index, from 1903 1907. Owing to pressure of work the Government Printing Office has so far only l>een able to set up the first index, and it is hoped that this will shortly lie printed and published, and be followed as soon as possible by Indexes 2 and 3. With the completion of these indexes reference will be much facilitated, as the three volumes will leave only the period from 1894 to 1902, for which alphabetical lists have been published annually. These might with advantage be embodied in two volumes, and the whole of the period from 1861 to 1907 comprised in five volumes. As soon as the name indexes are out of the way, the subject-matter indexes for the same periods should be pushed on with.

II