H.—lo

1910. NEW ZEALAND.

PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE MARKS: TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 120 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1908. I have the honour, in compliance with the requirements of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, to submit my report on the proceedings thereunder during the past year. The total number of applications was 2,459, 168 more than in 1908 and within 24 of the highest number received in any year. The revenue, £6,014 12s. 2d., was greater than in any previous year, and exceeded by £544 6s. Id. the amount received in 1908. The expenditure was £2,822 15s. 4d., about the same as in 1908 ; £1,367 17s. 3d. being paid in salaries, fees to Patent Office agents, and for clerical assistance, as compared with £1,422 15s. 9d. in 1908, and £1,290 15s. 6d. for work done in the Government Printing Office. The balance exceeded the previous year's by £543 14s. 2d., and brings the amount received over that expended since the commencement of the Act on the Ist January, 1890, up to £47,643 16s. 7d. PATENTS. 1,705 applications for patents were lodged during the year, as compared with 1,527 in 1908, 1,065 being accompanied by provisional and 640 by complete specifications, while 286 complete specifications were deposited in respect of applications for which provisional specifications had already been filed, making 1,991 specifications for the year, or 207 more than in the previous twelve months. The fees paid in connection with patents totalled £4,902 12s. Bd., exceeding the amount received from this source in 1908 by £397 11s. lid., the chief increases beyond those involved by the additional number of applications and specifications, £103, relating to second- and third-term payments —£95 and £200 respectively. Particulars of the various applications, &c, and fees paid in respect of each are given in Table C. Although, as in other countries, only a small proportion of inventions prove remunerative, and the cases in which they result in a large reward are exceedingly rare, the number of applications lodged annually for patents continues to be well maintained. So far as lies in its power, the Office weeds out those for inventions clearly destitute of novelty; but, as the Act does not provide for .appeal from decisions in this respect, all cases about which there is the slightest doubt are allowed to proceed, and the question of their patentability left to be dealt with in the event of opposition proceedings or by the Court in an action for revocation or infringement. If applicants were enabled to appeal from the refusal of the Office it could be more freely exercised, and cases in which the novelty is so slight as to be practically non-existent stopped in their initial stage. The following table shows the proportion of applications accepted, and to which exception was taken on the various grounds stated, to the total number received: —

[Note. —As many applications for the latter half of the year 1909 are still pending and may be accepted with or without amendment, it was thought desirable to compile this table as for the twelve months beginning 1st June 1908, and ending 31st May, 1909.]

I—H. 10.

Accepted without Alteration Accepted on Alteration Not aoc iepted, j After being questioned Without „„„ b 0 tj ng a 0" Ground On Ground questioned. Qf Want q( rf Novelty. Informality. After being questioned On Ground of „ „ , „ Want ° T n Ground of of Novelty. Informality. On Ground of Want of Novelty. On Ground of Informality. ! 59-3 18-0 2-3 3-1 7-6 8-6 1-2