M.-io

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Distribution of Forms and Information. During the year a fresh lot of forms, with printed information concerning the patenting of inventions and the registration of designs and trade-marks, were sent out to post-offices for the use of the public. The office is indebted to the Postal Department for enabling it to offer these facilities, as well as to it and the Railway Department for permission to display posters at the various post-offices and railway-stations. Patent Agents. Two names were added to the Register during the year, one that of a solicitor without, and the other after, examination. The total number of names on the Register at the end of the year was 69. Premises. While in many respects well suited for the business of the office, the present premises are very deficient in safe-room, the library is lacking in space and accessibility to the public at night, and there is no accommodation for models. Suitable premises for insuring the proper custody of specifications of inventions is a matter of some urgency, and. as more room is required for the library, the provision of further accommodation in the present building or elsewhere should, I submit, be made to enable the office and library to be suitably housed for some years to come. Library. As already stated, the library is rapidly outgrowing the space provided for it, some 30 ft. or 40 ft. of additional shelving being required every year. Each step in the world's manufacturing methods and appliances is with few exceptions the subject of a patent and is described in a specification available for inspection in the library of this office some time before being brought into actual use, and reference to these documents is necessary to obtain the early knowledge on which successful invention and competition in industry to a great extent depend. Every facility should in my opinion accordingly be afforded inventors, manufacturers, and others to inspect the English, American, and other specifications in the library of this office, and I should be glad if the library could be moved to premises where it could be open at night, and also if arrangements could be made for placing the full specifications of inventions of other countries for inspection in the libraries at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Conclusion. The Appendix hereto contains : — paok Paper set at Examination for Registration of Patent Agent .. .. .. .. 5 And the following tables and lists, viz. : — A. Balance-sheet of Income and Expenditure for the Year ended 31st December, 1908 .. 5 B. Table showing Revenue and Expenditure for each of the Last Eight Years .. 6 C. Particulars of Fees received from the Ist January to the 31st December, 1908 .. 6 D. Staff of Officers, and Salaries .. .. . . .. . . .. 7 E. Total Number of Applications for Patents, and Registration of Designs and Trade Marks, recorded for the years 1890 to 1908 inclusive .. . . .. . . 7 F. Number of Provisional and Complete Specifications received, &c. .. .. .. 7 G. Table show'ng, over a Series of Years, the Number of Patents that were considered of Sufficient Value to be kept Alive by Payment of the Renewal Fees . . 8 H. Number of Applications for Patents from Persons residing in New Zealand and other Colonies and Countries in each of the Years 1906, 1907, and 1908 .. .. 8 I. Table showing Number of Applications for the Different Classes of Inventions for each of the Years 1906, 1907, and 1908 . . . . .. .. .. 9 J. Number of Applications for Registration of Trade Marks from Persons residing in New Zealand and other Colonies and Countries in each of the Years 1906, 1907, and 1908 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 K. Designs : Table showing Number of Applications in each of the Twelve Classes to end of 1906 and in the Years 1907 and 1908 respectively .. .. .. 10 L. Number of Applications to register Trade Marks, in the Fifty Different Classes, in each of the Years 1906, 1907, and 1908 .. .. . . .. .. 11 M. Alphabetical List of Applicants for Patents for the Year ended 31st December, 1908 .. 12 N. Classified List of Inventions for which Letters Patent have been applied for during the year ended 31st December, 1908 .. .. .. .. .. 29 0. Alphabetical List of Applicants for Registration of Trade Marks during the year ended 31st December, 1908 .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 P. Alphabetical List of Applicants for Registration of Designs during the year ended 31st December, 1908 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Patent Office, J. C. Lewis, Wellington, Ist June, 1909. . Registrar.