A Patent Question.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7365, 12 November 1898, Page 3

A Patent Question.

(BY TELEGRAPH-) Wellington, November 11. Mr F. Waldgrave, Registrar of Patents, gave an important decision to-day in the matter of an objection lodged by the Gibson Patent Board Company (Limited) to grant a patent to H. W. Scott in respect of a branding process called Scott's liquid c ittle brand. The company holds all patent rights granted to Harrison Gibson for a branding process patented by him, and known as the Gibson patent brand. The subject of Gibson's brand was an alkaline salphide, preferably sulphide of barium and American potash as active agents, and its merit was the application of a well-known decapiliary to the novel purpose of branding cattle without pain and without injury to the hides. Mr Scott then came forward with another liquid brand, claiming the same purposes, with caustic or hydrate of soda as its base. To this application for a pateno the company objected, and at the recent hearing of the caße the registrar reserved his decision until to-day. In giving his judgment he found the question for decision was whether the substitution of one equally well-known decapiliary for another equally well-known decapiliary in a composition for branding was a proper subject for patent. He held that there was no evidence of any* independent invention on the part of Scott, and his application was therefore refused, with costs to the Gibson j Company.