No protection for N.Z.

Press, 25 September 1980, Page 17

No protection for N.Z.

Patent attorneys are split on whether copyright should extend to industrial products, according to Mr Moon. Manufacturers are just as divided on the issue.-

In a survey two years ago, some members of the Institute of Patent Attorneys believed that copyright should. never have been applied to industrial articles. Other members thought it a worthwhile development, protecting technology which otherwise would not qualify for a patent.

Manufacturers have responded in various ways to the difficulty of winning a case in patent Taw,

Few are prepared to spend time and money on such a case, according to Mr lan Howell, director of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. “In some cases, there is more of a tendency continually to update their products so that they are always a few steps ahead of their competitors,” Mr Howell says. New computer technology has made such updating a quicker and more reliable protection against competitors. “Some don’t even bother to take out patents. now,” he adds. ’ ... \ _• Copyright laws, may give added protection to • companies in New Zea-.

land, but New Zealand manufacturers are finding that they have no protection against overseas companies who copy their designs. Mr Howell says that firms have marketed products in New Zealand and overseas, only to find six months later that SouthEast Asian companies were marketing identical products at much lower prices. One or two trade groups, specialising in certain products, circulate their competitors within the group with details of new products, so as to avoid arguments later over patents and copyright