H.—lo.

3

It will be seen from the above tables that for the period 1890-99 the number of applications received from persons in New Zealand over double the number of applications received from Great Britain, the next highest countries being Australia*, United States of America, New South Wales, Victoria, France, South Australia, Germany, Cuba, Switzerland, Holland, Canada, India, Norway, &c. New Zealand and Great Britain still head the list for the 1920-29 period, with United States of America and Australia transposed for the third and fourth positions. New South Wales and Victoria occupy the fifth and sixth positions, as in the 1890-99 period, and Germany comes next, in the position previously held by France. Canada has risen from the thirteenth position in 1890-99 to the eighth in 1920-29 ; then follow France, the Netherlands, Sweden (which was at the bottom of the 1890-99 list), Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, &c. Incidentally, it may be noted that the figures appearing above, show that the average number of trade-mark applications received annually in 1920-29 was 1,235, as against 301 in 1890-99. It must, however, be understood that the number of applications received in any one year gives but a very inadequate idea of the amount of work involved in dealing with them, the reason for this being that a large proportion of applications are renewed every fourteen years, thus remaining for very long periods, relevant to subsequent applications, so that the work of the Patent Office increases noticeably each year irrespective of any increase in the number of applications received. Patents. Applications for patents received during the year numbered 2,251, being an increase of 181 over the total for 1928, when 2,070 applications were received. This year's total is also 174 in excess of the average for the years 1923 to 1928 (inclusive). Applications to the number of 1,243 were received from countries beyond New Zealand. The increase in applications from overseas received during the last few years has been most marked, the corresponding figures for 1927 and 1928 being 871 and 1,040 respectively. The figure for 1929 is also 352 in excess of the average number of applications from overseas for the years 1923 to 1928 (inclusive). Applications for patents by applicants resident in New Zealand totalled 1,008, being a slight decrease as compared with 1928. Applications to the number of 992 (1,032)f were lodged with provisional specifications, and in 1,259 (i,038) cases the application was accompanied by a complete specification. The number of complete specifications lodged in respect of applications for which a provisional specification had previously been lodged was 295 (308). As at 31st December, 1929, the total number of applications was 64,136, and the number of patents in force as at that date totalled 8,050, made up as follows : Patents sealed and third-year fees paid from the 31st December, 1926, to the 31st December, 1929, 3,582 and 1,937 respectively ; sixth-year fees paid from the 31st December, 1919, to the 31st December, 1929, 2,531. The amount of £10,301 os. 4d. was received during the year on account of patent fees, being an increase of £685 lis. 7d. over the receipts for 1928, and also an increase of £481 Is. lOd. over the patent receipts for the highest previous year. In 5 (6) cases lapsed patents were restored to the register, and in 5 (2) cases letters patents were sealed after the prescribed time. The fees paid under these two heads amounted to £162 10s. (£125 10s.). Under the provisions of the Amendment Act of 1924, 5 (3) patents were endorsed " Licenses of Right." In one case an application was made to the Supreme Court to extend the term of letters patent beyond sixteen years, and an extension of seven years was granted. It is satisfactory to note that there has been an increase in the number of applications received in the classes of invention relating to the more important primary industries, such as dairying, 51 (43) ; cultivating and tilling, 58 (40) ; harvesting, 34 (24) ; milking-machinery, 45 (33) ; seed-sowers, 31 (25), and fibre-dressing, 41 (35). Increases have also been recorded in the classes connected with telephony and telegraphy (including phonographs), 242 (216) ; electricity and magnetism (including electric cooking and heating appliances), 146 (128) ; vehicles and accessories, 147 (127) ; buildingconstruction, 104 (86) ; aeronautics, 24 (5) ; and printing and photography, 53 (29). Fewer applications were made for inventions relating to amusements, 56 (73) ; engines (air, gas, and oil), 47 (61) ; boxes, cans and casks, 58 (89) ; and kitchen utensils and cooking-appliances, 45 (62) ; while there is little, if any, change in the number on other subjects. Designs. Applications for registration of design lodged during the year totalled. 125. This figure is lower than the corresponding number lodged in each of the preceding eight years, the average over that period being 181. The total number of applications up to the 31st December, 1929, was 2,820. The majority of the applications were lodged in respect of articles included in Classes 1 and 3 (Class 1 covering articles composed wholly of metal or in which metal predominates, and jewellery, and Class 3 covering articles composed wholly of wood, bone, ivory, papier mache, or other solid substances not included in other classes, or of materials in which such substances predominate), the figures being 70 and 20 respectively. The remaining 35 applications are spread fairly evenly over nine classes. In four classes no applications were lodged. The number of design-registrations in force as at the 31st December, 1929, was 869, an increase of 9 over the previous year. Extensions of the term of design-registration for the second term of five years totalled 36, while for the third period an extension was granted in 5 cases. The fees received during the year amounted to £112 10s.

* -For purposes of comparison the Australian States have been shown both separately and collectively. "j' The figures in parentheses are for 1928.