INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4857, 23 November 1883, Page 4

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

♦ A meeting of the Committee of the Canterbury Industrial Association was held last evening; present— Messrs A. G. Howland (President), T. 8. Weston, B. W. England, W. Waller, E. H. Banks, H. B. Kirk, O. M. Gray, B. H. Wood, B. Hale, ¥. Jenkins, B. Strutber*, P. Duncan and Curlett. An apology was made for the absence of Mr Scott. A letter from tbo New Zealand Manufacturers' Association (Dunedin) was read, asking the co-operation of tbe Industrial Association in promoting unity of notion v ith the representatives of the manufacturing interests of New Zealand. A oopy of the letter which the New Zealand Manufacturers' Association intended forwarding to the Colonial Treasurer was enclosed, and also the objects and rules of the Association. It was decided to acknowledge the letter and intimate that the Canterbury Industrial Association would have pleasure in co-operat-ing on any occasion in furthering manufacturing interests. Mr Bayfield, Seoretary of the Champion Copper Lode Mining Company, wrote, announcing that a sample of native copper, about 901bs in weight, would be forwarded. (The sample had since been received, and wai " laid on the table.") It was decided to thank Mr Bayfield for the handsome speoimen he had sent, and that it be exhibited at the Industrial Exhibition as desired by Mr Bayfield. A long letter from Mr C. J. Hill, Upper Biooarton, was read, in which he pointed out what he considered grave defeots in the patent laws. Ho considered the present laws preoluded inventors from perfecting inventions before they patented them, inasmuch as they forbid any publicity being given in the trial of a machine that was to be patented before it was protected, and compelled inventors to prepare specifications in haste, without providing for any amendment beirg afterwards made, except by re-patenting. In short, a person had to state the exact nature of his invention before he oould really ascertain it, and was forbidden from ascertaining it, on acopunt of the stringent regulations against giving any publicity to the invention. Publioity could not well be avoided if anything like a trial was to be made of a new maohine, especially in the case of agricultural machinery, the trial of which oould hardly be kept from the public. She Chairman Baid that he felt that by the New Zealand patent laws there was no trouble in obtaining a patent for a iond fide invention. By a payment of 10s an invention could ba protected for twelve months, in order to perfect the maohine, and at the end of that period, the protection oould be renewed for another twelve months if good cause were shown. Mr, T, S. Weaton proposed that consideration of the subject should bo adjourned to next meeting, and in tho meantime the members oould look up the aubjeot. This was agreed to. A letter from the Minister for Mines was read, forwarding information as to the cost and size of diamond drills imported into the Colony. The machine imported by Government (now the property of the Bay of Islands Coal Company) was a full-sized drill, and Coßt between £1300 and £1400. The one imported by the Inangah.ua County Counoil was stated to have cost, with extras, £2000. The Springfield Coal Company's maohine coat about £1250, without boiler. A pamphlet and other information was also forwarded, It was resolved that the Minister for Mines be thanked for the information he had supplied. A paper en the manufacture of papier maohe pulp by Mr B. Donaldson was read by the Seoretary. Mr Donaldson was present, and gave explanations on the subject to members. Mr C. M. Gray read an analysis ot the Little Biver hematite, which had been submitted to Professor Black of Dunedin. The result showed that the hematite, while not quite so good as the Nob on artiole, was fully equal in value to that obtained at the Thames. It was resolved that the President be requested to praotioally test some of the paint, and report to the Association. The meeting then adjourned.