Inventions Authority

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31237, 8 December 1966, Page 20

Inventions Authority

The Inventions Development Act, passed during the last session of Parliament, attracted little attention outside the House. Three years ago the Export Development Conference recommended the Government to consider establishing a patent research council or corporation. The idea was far from novel then. Britain has had a National Research Development Corporation since 1949. It examines, selects, and develops inventions for commercial production. The Hovercraft is probably its most famous project. The N.R D.C. has also sponsored projects on towed flexible barges, antibiotics, electronic computers, and selective weedkillers. Other countries have similar corporations to exploit or develop scientific discoveries, industrial inventions, and new processes which require testing, research, and promotion before they are used commercially. Inventors are protected, encouraged, and rewarded. Scientists, especially those in universities, work in an environment of exploration and discovery. They seldom have an opportunity to work on the full realisation or commercial development of their findings. Universities in the United States have policies and arrangements to exploit discoveries, many of which earn money for university research and rewards for inventors. In New Zealand several institutions undertake research on animals, wool, dairy products, and agricultural engineering; and they have machinery to put their discoveries into practice. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research also develops scientific discoveries for practical application.

When he described the Inventions Development Bill to Parliament the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) said it would meet three deficiencies. An Inventions Development Authority would relieve research workers of the burden of dealing with patents and licensing. It would co-ordinate the exploitation of inventions resulting from Government research and research aided by Government funds. It would make fuller use of Inventive talent likely to benefit the country’s economic growth and export trade. The Government should not delay appointing the members of the authority. The heads of four Government departments will be members, and, through them, the authority will have to the State’s advice and services in law, agriculture, science, trade, and industry. The Minister of Industries and Commerce must appoint at least five other members. These men—and women—should be chosen for their individual talents. Without formally representing groups or institutions they should, collectively through their knowledge and associations, reflect the interests of private industry, inventors, the universities and research institutes, consumers, export organisations, scientists, engineers, and employees on farms and in factories. They must be persons of unusual vision and mental agility. Above all, they must have time to do the job thoroughly. A small executive committee, specialist committees, and officers engaged by the authority may do most of the detailed work, but the authority must be guided—profitably if possible—by men who are not already fully employed on committees and boards.