FERRO-CONCRETE PATENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12833, 5 April 1905, Page 6

FERRO-CONCRETE PA TENTS.

FURTHER DISCUSSION BY THE HARBOUR BOARD. At the meeting of tho Auckland Harbour Board a fortnight ago a letter was read from Messrs*. Russell, and Campbell (solicitors to the Board), advising that, as the result of investigations made by direction of the Beard, they were of opinion that there were only three grounds on which the existing ferro-concrcle patents might possibly bo attacked, viz.:—(1) Want of novelty, (2) want of utility, and (3) the possibility of the specification not sufficiently describing the nature and working of the invention. The matter was then referred to the Works and Tariff Committee, and at yesterday's meeting tho committee reported advising that consideration of the matter bo deferred. Mr. F. E. Baume, M'.H.R., said be thought the matter should I>< dropped. Tho only opinion on the matter which would be worth having was that of a judge, and if they started to test the matter it would prove a never-ending trouble. Mr. J. A. Walker said that tho Board had to conserve the public interests, and this was why he had moved in the mattei in the first instance. It was not to the public interests that the Board should have only one tender for works running into hundreds of thous- ! ands of pounds. He thought the Board i should test the matter, even if it cost £3000 ] or £4000, and they had to get a judge's de- | cision. As to ferro-concrete being a novelty, i he said he bad heard of it for the past 25 years, and therefore there could not be much ; novelty about it. i Mr. Baume: If anybody else has a right J to use it they will tender. Mr. Walker: But w- cannot get anybody ! to tender unless the Board protects their in- : terests. ! Mr. Baume: You cannot, expect the Board to do that. Mr. W. J. Napier .said that as- the Board was about to embark upon an expensive undertaking, they owed it. as a duly to the public to see that they did not have to pay too high a price. If they could not get any of their wealthy contractors' to fight an expensive law ease, the Board might undertake a portion of the work itself with its ordinary staff, and allow the company, if it saw fit, to apply for an injunction. That would soon determine whether the patents were valid or not. The report of the committee was* adopted, the matter being tints deferred.