H.—lo

4

Furnaces, 23 (5), were somewhat more numerous than usual, but there is no noticeable increase in any other classes of inventions. Fewer applications were made for arms and munitions, 25 (35); fencing, 13 (21); milking-machines, 37 (51); and for certain other subjects. Designs. Registration of Designs. There were 83 applications received, and registration was effected in 80 cases, as compared with 113 applications and 108 registrations in the previous year. The fees amounted to £25, being £2 less than in 1916. Traoe-marks. Last year 619 applications for registration of trade-marks were received, 47 short of the number in the previous year. The amount received in fees in respect of trade-marks was £1,825 165., as against £1,191 4s. for 1916, an increase of £634 12s. The revenue would have shown a falling-off, as the general business under this head was less than in the previous year, had it not been for the renewal fees in respect of marks registered before the year 1890, which, as has already been pointed out, fall due simultaneously at the expiry of every fourteen years from that date. Owing to delay in the mails and other causes due to the war, fees in many of those cases did not come to hand until the present year. The number of trade-marks on the Register at the end of the year was 10,276. Countries from which Applications received. Residents of New Zealand lodged 250 applications, 30 more than in 1916, and persons in other countries 374, 77 less than the number for 1916. Goods for which Trade-marks registered. The largest number of applications i-eceived in any one class is 103 (in Class 42, substances used as food or as ingredients in food), as compared with 132 in 1916; and an inoreas© occurs in 18 classes, while a decrease is shown in 24 classes. General . Notices of opposition wore lodged in only 9 cases during the year. One appeal was heard and upheld. Patent Agents. The number of Patent Agents on the Register is 23. Conclusion. The Appendix hereto contains the following tables and lists, viz. :— p age A. Balance-sheet of Income and Expenditure for the Year ended 31st December, 1917.. 5 B. Table showing Revenue and Expenditure for each of the last Eight Years .. 5 C. Particulars of Fees received from the Ist January to the 31st December, 1917 .. (i I). Staff of Officers, and Salaries .. . . . . .. . . 6 E. Total Number of Applications' for Patents and Registration of Designs and Trademarks recorded for the Years 1890, 1900, and 1910 to 1917 (inclusive) .. .. 7 F. Number of Provisional and Complete Specifications received, &c. .. .. 7 Q. Number of Applications for Patents in New Zealand from Persons residing there and in other Countries in each of the Years 1915, 1916, and 1.917 . . .. .. 7 H. Table showing Number of. Applications for the Different Classes of Inventions for each of the Years 1915, 1916, and 1917 .. .. .. . . .. 8 I. Applications pending at the End of Year 1917 .. .. .. .. .. 8 J. Patents in Force at End of Year 1917 .. .. .. .. 9 K. Table showing Total Number of Applications, Letters Patent sealed, and Letters Patent in Force for Full Term under the Different Patents Acts .. .. 9 L. Designs : Tabic showing Number of Applications in each of the Principal Classes under the Patents, Designs, and Trade-marks Act, 1911, from Ist January to 31st December. 1917 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 M. Number of Applications for Registration of Trade-marks from Persons residing in New Zealand and other Countries in each of the Years 1915, 1916, and 1917 .. 9 N. Number of Applications to register Trade-marks in the Fifty Different Classes in each of the Years 1915, 1916, and 1917 .. .. .. .. .. 10 Note. —The lists of Inventions and Applicants for Letters Patent, Designs, and Trade-marks for the past year have been printed in the Index to Vol. vi of the Patent Office Journal. Patent Office, Wellington, 18th October, 1918. J. C. Lewis, Registrar.