NEW INDUSTRIES

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13666, 7 August 1908, Page 7

NEW INDUSTRIES

'FRUIT ,OJj\ PATENTS ACT. ; ■ " At. the present moment many a Bri(i*h industry was botind;hand and foot,W *lia woikiiig': of our »Patent Laws, many! a British industry.':had. been': completely: ed; oiit; by conceded by our own institutions to All lie proposed was that. this: bond should be out, and that British indusry should be perfectly free to engage in the very severe struggle it was waging." In this , way spoke Mr Lloyd George when- introducing his Patents and Designs Bill, now an Act on (lie Statute-book. The measure was received with the warmest approval on both sides of the House, and although a few critics have raised legal and technical objections to some of the details, there is a remarkable consensus of opinion that- the Act will prove a great 'benefit'to British industry. The measure will operate in two ways ; it will protect the poor inventor, and it will fosler Briiish industries by compelling foreign patentees to manufacture their patented articles in thi.4 country. Striking testimony on this second point was obtained by a "Daily Chronicle" representative from Messrs' Leopold Farmer and Sons, a well-known firm of Surveyors and Factory Specialists iii the City. "Recently," said Mr Farmer, "a representative of ours has b-en touring in the principal towns of Germany, interviewing the firms who will be directly affected by I liis Act and discussing the possibilities of foreign manufacturers establishing works in the United Kingdom. The result'of our inquiries lias been entirely (satisfactory,"anil assurances'have been given us by some or ilia largest lirrris of their intention , to manufacture in this country, on the Bill becoming law- ~ in fact, we aie in liegu-. tiajoii ac die present moment with a good many foreign firms whose intension. it is to secure sn.es in this'-: country. ops largo iirm informed :us that it was absolutely necessary for them to opam up works ior the protection of parents taken outJn this country, but worked abroad." f ' Mr Farmer went further and gave tilts names of som-a-i.ea'ding Continental firms, who had taken up,'.or decided to take tip sited in this country for the establishment of WOlks. * 1

"A German syndicate,", he said, consisting of the. Kiberfelder Faberiabriken, the .badisclie Anilin and Soda-Fabnk, and the Act-Ges, i-uer .Anilinfabnkation (represented in this counter; by the • Bayer Company, Limited), with; a capital ox £13,000,003, have bought twenty : fo"ur acres of land op the borders of tlie Mersey, liear Port Sunlight, and facing the . Liverpool Docks.' Anptlitr Gernuin conciliation have bought seven acres of land at Ellesmei'e Port, an the : Manchester'iSliip Canal;,,. This is the Hosehlistforbwerke Company, with whom, are allied Messis. and Company. Then again -the Gillette Razor Company, of the 1 United btates. are opening up works in Sheifield, and another German pottery company have taken land in Kent. A. very large Ainerican firm of manufacturers are a coming over litre." . 1 - 1 ■

JS UMEKOUS INQUIRIES FOR. SITES. •• 1 uiu not: at liberty," explained. Mr. Farmer, "to give the naipes in every, instance, because in some casts the linns are oniy negotiating, and . it- would be\ indiscreet io make their intentions public: iust uort. i may say, however, that, apart fiom the firms mentioned, we . are negotiating with several important foreign companies, wlio. wish to, buy] land in this country, while several others are making inquiries. We have -canvassed something like--15,000 loreign L firmts in France, Germany* J , Belgium,. and thei United States, and the ie-ult lias been that we liave had numerous; inquiries for particulars as to lactones and sites for factories,' 1 ;im confident, indeed, that as the result of the passing of the Patents and Designs Act, we may look forward to n speedy ~ -■establishment - -pi' new'; industries "and the reopening ot , numbers ot unlet works in the United Kingdom. 350r is that- all; v the movement is only beginning, and 1 am certain thete will bj a big development of.it." Asked as to the'kind of land which these foreign firms are inquiring after, Mr Farmer -replied, "In most cases they are looking after land wliefe they may get sidings off the railway. We don't ■ find that they are g&irig to take; little plots of isolated land. Chemical manufacurers, for instance, want water-side land, where there is deepwater and ! railroad communication, and I have an idea that* they will go to the Wffit Coast, somewhere around Manchester and the' district. Engineers will -probably want to get an inland position, where they can get good railway facilities. Mr. Farmer made other .interesting points. Speaking with regard to :the future of unlet factory property m England, he mentioned certain disabilities under which manufacturers laboured in the extension of their operations. "In'the case of London, ' he ea.'d, 'the building of the County Council in the L.C.C. area place serious restrictions upon the economical management of factories. For; instance, some of the older buildings of three or four storeys hi height were constructed before it was properly accepted as a principle of local government that satisfactory means of escape m the event of fire should be provided:. The result .now is that .it is practically, impossible to provide emergency exits or five escapes in many buildings jn the crowded portions of the cit.V; so thattthe using of them as factories is attended with great difficulty." - \ .-•

Mr. Farmer does not. ob)ect to the County Council's fire regulations,- but: onlv points* out the eftacfc ot them on: old City properties. " Arid," lie added, "the Metropolitan Water Board's new conditions of ■ charging for water supply undoubtedly will, increasa the manufacturer a -expenses,, Now, however, that. the Port -of London's new authority has . been established, it will be interesting to watch: its ■ . - In conclusion. Mr Farmer threw out an interesting; hint. - . •" Tte-Jalternative, to the use of factories in London," he said; " would spent. to be migration to the -country, with .lower ground; rent value .and more room for expansion. and that at/'bnee snggests the.consthictwh of a factory- on one floon ; with modern power, plant, mar-hiiiarv. etc. Under these conditions 'if- is obvious, that economy must follow."