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82 CLR] OF AUSTRALIA. 603
[HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA.]
In rE DUCKHAM'S PATENT.
Patent—Practice—Application for extension of term—Originating summons— H.C. oF A.
Petition—Patents Act 1903-1950 (No. 21 of 1903—No. 80 of 1950), s. 84 (1), (6). '1951.
On an application by originating summons under s. 84 (6) of the Patents Fone
Act 1903-1950 for extension of the term of a patent the practice of the High g// 5 99"
Court will be as follows :—(1) The application should be advertised after
the issue of the originating summons. (2) If it has been advertised by the Dixon J.
patentee before its issue, the advertisements may be taken into consideration
in deciding what further advertisement is necessary. (3) After the issue of
the originating summons, a summons for directions should be issued seeking
directions from a justice in chambers as to the advertisements, time of
hearing, nature of evidence and such other matters, if any, on which directions
may be desired. (4) Usually, two advertisements in the Official Journal will
be ordered and one in a newspaper for each of the State capitals, but—accord-
ing to the nature of the invention and the circumstances of the case—more
limited or more extensive advertising may be directed. (5) The advertise-
ment of the application will include a statement as to the time and place
fixed for the hearing of the originating summons.
In the case of petitions under s. 84 (1) of the Act, the practice of issuing
a summons for directions should be followed and—as part of the order for
directions—an advertisement should generally be required in the Official
Journal notifying the time of hearing.
ORIGINATING SUMMONS. ,
This was an application by originating summons for the extension
of the term of a patent under s. 84 (6) of the Patents Act 1903-1950.
A question arising as to the practice to be followed on such an
application, the matter was determined as appears in the judgment
hereunder.
G. A. Pape, for the applicant.
A representative of the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor, for the
Commissioner of Patents.
Cur. adv, vult.
H. C. or A.
1951.
So
In RE
Ducknam's
Pa'
Oct. 22.
HIGH COURT [1951..
Dixon J. delivered the following written judgment :—
On 26th July 1951 I made an order in this matter enlarging the
time for applying under s. 84 (6) of the Patents Act 1903-1950 by
originating summons for the extension of the applicant's patent.
The order enlarged the time for issuing the summons to 31st August
1951. Regulation 134 of the Patent Regulations provides that a
patentee intending to apply by petition for the extension of the
term of his patent under s. 84 shall give public notice by advertising
three times in the Official Journal and once at least in a daily news-
paper published in each capital city of the States. If this regulation
applied to proceedings by originating summons, the time limited
by my order was too short to allow of the advertisements it pre-
scribes. The regulation does not apply, however, of its own force
to applications by originating summons under sub-s. (6) of s. 84 ;
of its own force it applies only to petitions under sub-s. (1). It
' was so decided by Fullagar J. in Re Del-Mac Shoe Process Corpora-
tion's.Patent (1),.and in a number of. unreported cases. Williams J.
had acted. previously upon the same view. But as appears from
the reasons given by Fullagar J. a practice has arisen of requiring
applicants by originating summons under sub-s. (6) to advertise
their applications. That such applications should be advertised
is obviously right but it does not follow that the same advertise-
ments as are prescribed by reg. 134 should be required. Different
justices, however, have adopted different views of what ought to
be done. According to one practice advertisements have been
directed after the originating summons has been issued ; according
to another advertisements before the issue of the summons have
been required. Under the latter practice there has been an
insistence upon a compliance with reg. 134, which has perhaps
been treated as applying by analogy.
In the present case the originating summons has already been
issued and within the time limited by the order I made. After
its issue an application was made to the Court for directions as to
advertising. The application came before me and I intimated to
counsel who appeared for the patentee that I would follow the
decision of Fullagar J. in the interpretation of s. 84 (6) and reg. 134.
I. said_also,.. that. in. pursuance. of the practice which allowed of
advertisements after the issue of the summons I would direct the
applicant to advertise now in a manner which I thought sufficient
in the circumstances of the case. Counsel however asked me if it
would not be possible to make this application the occasion of
settling a uniform practice which the justices would generally follow.
(1) (1950) 81 C.L.R. 327.
82 C.L.R.] OF AUSTRALIA.
It appeared to me desirable to establish a uniform practice if that were H- C. or A.
possible and I therefore took time to consult the justices and that
I have done. The justices are of opinion that a general practice
should prevail as follows :—(1) The application should be adver-
tised after the issue of the originating summons. (2) If however it
has been advertised by the patentee before its issue, the advertise-
ments may be taken into consideration by the justice in deciding
what further advertisement is necessary. (3) After the issue of the
originating summons a summons for directions should be issued
seeking directions from a justice in chambers as to the advertise-
ments, the time of hearing, the nature of the evidence (i.e. oral or
viva voce), and such other matters, if any, upon which directions
may be desired. (4) Usually two advertisements in the Official
Journal will be ordered and one in a newspaper for each of the State
capitals, but according to the nature of the invention and the
circumstances of the case more limited or more extensive advertis-
ing may be directed. (5) The advertisement of the application
will include a statement as to the time and place fixed for the
hearing of the originating summons.
It may be added that the justices are of opinion that, in the case
of petitions under sub-s. (1) of s. 84, the practice of issuing a summons
for directions should be followed and that, as part of the order for
directions, an advertisement should generally be required in the
Official Journal notifying the time of hearing.
Tn the present case I shall place the application in the list of
causes for hearing at the sittings of the Court in February 1952
and direct that the application be advertised twice in the Official
Journal and once in a daily newspaper circulating in Melbourne
and once in a daily newspaper circulating in Sydney. The adver-
tisements must appear before 15th January 1952 and must state
that the application will be heard at the February sittings of the
Court in Melbourne and that a person desiring to oppose the
application should lodge a caveat in the Principal Registry before
14th February 1952.
Order accordingly.
Solicitors for the applicant, Lohrmann, Tindal & Guthrie, Perth,
by Arthur Phillips & Just.
Solicitor for the Commissioner of Patents, D. D. Bell, Crown
Solicitor for the Commonwealth,
1951.
—
In RE
DucKnam's
PATENT.
Dixon J.