PATENT RIGHTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24531, 13 March 1943, Page 6

PATENT RIGHTS

WARTIME PROTECTION CONSIDERATION DEFERRED (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Friday Consideration of tlie Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Amendment Bill was postponed by the House of Representatives to-day until the session is resumed next week. After the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, had moved the committal of the bill in the absence of the Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, said he had not expected the bill to come forward at this stage as he had understood there was no particular hurry for it.

Mr. Sullivan said the bill dealt with the legal rights of soldiers overseas and other people who, because of the war conditions, could not take advantage of their legal rights. The legal life of a patent was 16 years and the legal right of these people to make application for an extension of the term of a patent was preserved. ' At present the State had the right to assume control of patents in the interests of the war effort, the Minister continued, but 110 right to sell the products. That right was now given as well as the right to use the products. The right of the patentee was conserved and he would receive his royalty. just as if there had been rio intervention on the part of the State. The bill was also designed to preserve the right of the patentee in regard to foreign transactions. It had been approved by the Statutes Revision Committee. Mr. Holland said the bill was a very technical measure and he had had one or two requests about it. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, replied that he was prepared to defer consideration of the measure and the debate was adjourned. THE RABBIT PEST REQUESTS TO GOVERNMENT (P A.) DUNEDIN, Friday A representative gathering of Canterbury, Otago and Southland runholders, farmers and rabbiters, discussed the rabbit pest, and passed resolutions to the following effect: — That the best method of extermination is through rabbit boards and that the policy be advocated whereby the South Island will be divided into contiguous boards, with substantially increased subsidies to allow for district difficulties; that the ultimate ideal be legislation making rabbit boards compulsory and the sole sellers of skins or carcases. The conference also passed a resolution seeking the abolition of the levy on skins and the provision of a stibsidy from the Consolidated Fund; also that the Government provide netting, poison, ammunition and traps at cost price and release for rabbiting grade 2 and 3 men in camp who were rabbiters previously. CIVIL DEFENCE NEW TRAINING SCHEME Arrangements for applying the training scheme embodied in the Government's now civil defence policy to the Auckland Metropolitan Emergency Precautions Service were made at a meeting this week of wardens and controllers of technical units. The Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. A Hum, who presided as chairman of the central committee, said yesterday that a training subunit had been organised under the direction of Mr. Malcolm Symous. who for many months past had been supervisor of training, and the staff would include officers who had been through [ the civil defence school in Wellington. What was known as the general personnel course of 10 subjects; would be open not only to those on the unit establishments, but to all personnel, including members of technical units, who would take it in addition to training in their basic duties The Mayor added that provision had been made for the training of women and the course would be in as interesting and practical a form as possible, with demonstrations and exercises. Instruction would be carried 011 at suitable centres in all parte of the Auckland E.P.S area. CIVILIAN RESPIRATORS FITTING OF ATTACHMENT Attachments to increase the efficiency of civilian respirators supplied to New Zealand civil defence personnel have been issued by the National Service Department. They consist of small metal cases to be attached to the respirator canisters with adhesive tape. 'The cases contain additional chemically treated filter material giving protection against arsenical smokes and some other war gases not previously provided for. The attachments will be issued to per- : sonnet in the city throughout next week at the Sunshine School, Nelson Street. In addition, any members of ' the service who have not yot obtained respirators will be given an opportunity to have them fitted. The depot will be staffed, as previously, by the • Women's War Service Auxiliary.