H.-10

1895. NEW ZEALAND.

PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE-MARKS. (SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 128 of " The Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Act, 1889."

In compliance-with the provisions of "The Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Act, 1889," I have the honour to report as follows on the business of the Patent Office during the year ended 31st December, 1894: — 2. The Appendix to this report contains the following returns :— A. Balance-sheet of revenue and expenditure, with particulars thereof. It will be observed that the revenue continues to increase. B. List of the staff and salaries. C. Return of applications for patents, &c, in each year from 1861 to 1889, Under Acts now repealed, showing numbers lapsed and numbers in force. D. Return of provisional and complete specifications received in 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, and 1894, under the Act of 1889. E. Classified return of applications to register trade-marks during 1892, 1893, and 1894. F. Total number of applications relative to patents, designs, and trade-marks during 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, and 1894. This return shows concisely the steady increase of the work of the office. G. Return showing the countries and colonies from which applications for letters patent have been received during 1892, 1893, and 1894. New Zealand shows the greatest increase in number, and the United Kingdom the next. H. Return showing the countries and colonies from which applications for registration of trade-marks have been received during 1892, 1893, and 1894. In these the United Kingdom is next to New Zealand in number. I. List of countries and colonies which have joined the International Convention for the Protection of Patentees' Rights and other purposes. J. Alphabetical list of applicants for letters patent in 1894. K. Alphabetical list of inventions for which letters patent have been applied for during 1894. 3. For much valuable information relative to the various applications made to the office, I beg leave to refer to the Patent Office Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, published fortnightly, and which should be obtained regularly by every business man. 4. Attention is invited to the remarks and suggestions made in my report of 1892, which still hold good, and especially to the desirableness of printing in a handy and cheap form the specifications of inventions. 5. As stated in last year's report, the Museum is no longer able to accommodate the rapidlyincreasing Patent Office library, and consequently several cases of British specifications are, for want of a lodging-place, still unpacked. Many complaints have been made of the inconvenience to the public caused by this want of room, and serious difficulties may be the result of non-publica-tion in this colony of important inventions. I am glad, however, that in the additions now being made to the Government Printing Office suitable rooms for the Patent Office, including one for its valuable and useful library, and for models, will be provided. They are greatly needed. 6. It gives me pleasure to be able to speak in the highest terms of the diligence, ability, and carefulness of the clerks in the office. They are now overworked, and it will soon be necessary to increase the staff of the office. C. J. A. Haselden, Registrar of Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks. Patent Office, Wellington, 10th July, 1895. I—H. 10.