AUSTRALIA HOTEL DIVIDEND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22327, 30 July 1934, Page 12

AUSTRALIA HOTEL DIVIDEND

By a final dividend of 3.J per rent, on preference and ordinary shares, Australia Hotel, Ltd., Sydney, brings the dividend on both classes to 0 per cent, for tlie year ended June 30. After having been reduced by the statutory deduction to ti per cent, since 1931, the original rate is restored to the preference shares by reason by the ordinary shares receiving G per cent. For the previous year the ordinary dividend was per cent. REGULATION OF TRADE MARKS In January, 1033, a committee was appointed by* the Board of Trade in London to report whether changes in the law and practice of trade marks are desirable. The report of the committee, of which Lord Goschen was president, has been issued. The committee considers that the requirement for the transfer of tlie goodwill of the business on the assignment of a trade mark ought, in the interests of trade, to he done away with, and that a trade mark should he validly assignable for a part only of (he goods for which it is registered, provided that there does not arise by reason of such assignment or transmission a right for more than one independent proprietor to use the mark or a similar mark for the same goods or description of goods so as to be likely to deceive or cause confusion. Provisions allowing this greater freedom of assignment should be retrospective in effect. Dealing with other questions, the committee favours registration under proper safeguards of persons authorised by a proprietor to use his registered trade mark. Provision should he made for the extended or defensive registration of a well-known registered trade mark consisting of an invented word or invented words, which lias become indentilied with tlie proprietor to such an extent that the use of the mark by others on goods other than those for which the mark is

registered would create the impression that there was a connection between those goods and the proprietor of the mark. The legal rights of the proprietor of a validly registered trade mark should be extended, and should be defined by reference to the acts which should constitute infringement, and should be deemed to be infringed by such acts, whether or not (he act complained of is likely to lead to the belief that there is a connection in the course of trade between the goods in relation to which the mark is used and the proprietor of the trade mark; and that, in particular, the proprietor should be empowered to prohibit m relation to his trade mark certain acts which might injure the reputation or impair the value of his mark. A trade mark should, in the opinion of the committee, be defined as follows:—A “trade mark.” other than a “ certification trade mark,” shall mean a mark used or proposed to be used by (lie proprietor upon or in physical or other relation lo goods for the purpose of indicating or so as to indicate a connection in the course of trade between the proprietor of the mark and the goods. The Melbourne firm has been advised that a new 'trade Marks Bill based upon the findings of (be committee will be introduced info the English Parliament early next year.