MR MARTINS BAS-RELIEF PATENT

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9392, 19 March 1898, Page 2

MR MARTINS BAS-RELIEF PATENT

to Tun rniToit.

Sin, — In your issue of Thursday last I notice you have reproduced a paragraph, which appeared in the Argus of Febiuary 24th relating to proceedings taken by mo against another for mfringment of my bas-ielief photograph patent. In tho Argus of the following day a letter fiom my solioitorß, which will explain itself was published. Tho following is a copy : TO THE EDITOR 01' HIE ARGUS. Sir, — In your report of the case of Martin v. Dearden (trading as Richards and Co.) on Thursday last, you state that Mr Justice A'Beckett refused an injunction, " more especially as plaintiff had come from another colony for the purpose of selling his wares, and had not patented them iv Victoria." This last statement is not correct, and may do our client, MiMartin, considerable harm, as it appeared quite clearly, from his affidavit, filed in suppoit of tho application, that his process is patented, not only in all tho Australasian colonies but in many European countries. This mistake may have arisen in the judge's mind from the fact that the affidavits wero not read in extenso, but ■« c desire, in tho interests of our client, that full publicity should be given to this correction. — Yours, etc., Pavj:y, Wilson, and Coiiun. Queen-street, February 25. Quite a uumbor of my fellow-townsmen have shown an interest in my patent process, and I think the paragraph in question should be still furthor replied to. With your permission, Sir, I will briefly outline the position. Soon after my patent was grantod for New Zealand I received a great many applications from different parts of Australia co purchase my patent rights. Amongßt these was an offer from a Sydney firm. I refused the offer. This firm then instituted proceedings to try to prevent my getting my patents completed in Australia. These proceedings wore prolonged and delayed in every possible way by the said firm, extending to nearly six months, during which period the firm in question made me several different offers, all of which I declined. Finally the case came on beforo tho Commissioner of Patente in Victoria. " Taber'B Process " was produced m evidence, and it was proved to the satisfaction of the Court by ocular demonstration and by the evidence of experts to be quite different from my method. The other side did not produce one witness in support of their contentions. The hearing occupied three days, and resulted in a verdict in my favor on all points. Shortly after this I discovered that my patent was being infringed and openly worked and advertised by at least one firm in Australia. I now found it necessary to take action against this firm, and they, like the Sydney firm, are trying to shelter themselves behind the " Taber Process." The question which naturally suggests itself is : Why are these different people so anxious to procure my process in preference to another 1 The answer to which is, I presume, not difficult for your readers I to discover. In conclusion, I may say that I have already secured patents in each of the Australasian colonies, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Austria, Italy, and India, and expect several others have been granted by this time. As a farther evidence of the novelty of my method, I would say that the British Journal Almanac (the leading photographic annual), in reviewing the past year, places my process first. — I am, etc., A. Martin, Wanganui, March 19.