ACETYLENE GAS COMPANY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10059, 10 June 1898, Page 6

ACETYLENE GAS COMPANY.

TO THE EDITOR OK THE PRESS. Sir, —Your correspondent, "An Old Colonist" asks some very pertinent questions re New Zealand Acetylene Gas and Carbide Manufacturing Company, to which I beg to reply as follows:—1. Mr Tame defended the action until the evidence taken by the Commission in New York "arrived in Duriedin. Unfortunately for us, Judge Yv lliiams took ill at this time, and Mr Taine's counsel was enabled to read the evidence before a new judge was appointed. He advised Air Tame to throw up the case, as no doubt lie could see that to go into court would mean defeat. We were then placed in this position, that to compel Tame to defend the case worn- have gained us nothing; he would simply have thrown himself on the mercy of the Court, and people would still have spread the report that we had squared Tame. To do so we would have been put to extra expense, without any likelihood of gain. Now, the case is different; we have obtained an injunction which lias been duly advertised throughout New Zealand, and we are only too eager to commence action against the first man who infringes the patent. We can do no more than this until somebody will stand up to tight. 2. The promoters are quite prepared to let the issue of the paid-up snares stand a reasonable period, so that this matter may be threshed out to the bitter end, as soon as we can get a firjp whose position and means are a guarantee that the costs of the case will be secured. We can't say fairer than that. 3. The Scotch Company, by which I presume he means ' the English Acetylene Illuminating Company, are manufacturing; carbide under the Wilson patent, the French and German makers of carbide are working under Bullier's patent, which is similar to Wilson's, but as the 'French and German patent laws accept the introducer of the process as the inventor, Wilson was, unfortunately, not able to secure his French and German patents. That does not affect us in New Zealand whatever; we own the only patents for crystalline carbide of calcium in the Australian Colonies; it is impossible to make crystalline carbide by any other method than that of Wilson's, namely, by an electric furnace; and, therefore, our patents are as strong as it is possible to make patents. We have had five legal firms to examine these patents, and they are all unanimous in then - opinon that the patent is perfectly unassailable. 4. For the reasons given above, "Old Colonist" will thus see that we can absolutely preclude anyone from • importing, using, or selling "crystalline carbide of calcium in New Zealand. 5. Each cubic foot of acetylene gives 50 candle power, this never varies; wherever the acetylene is made the light is always the same. We cannot say this for coal gas, as it entirely depends on the coals whether they enrich the gas, and a large number of other technical details, that I have no time to go into just- now. 6. Good crystalline carbide of calcium will yield 4.60 to 5.10 cubic feet of gas to the lb. I trust that I have replied to these questions to "Old Colonist's" satisfaction —Yours, &c, W. Tteeb. [Wβ regret that owing to imraenee pressure on our space we are unable to insert a number of letters on this subject, which are already in type. They will appear in to-morrow's issue.—Ed. Press]