Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Commerce: I move, That the Patents Bill be now read a first time. At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be referred to the Commerce Committee for consideration. I suppose the first issue to be confronted is the pronunciation of the word “patent”. Some people say “pay-tent” while others say “pat-ent”. Indeed, I am reminded of the story of three leading barristers who were called to the inner Bar many years ago. Mr Turner advised the court that he had in his hand letters “pay-tent”; Mr Leicester advised the court that he had letters “pat-ent”, and Mr Leary advised the court that he had in his hand a document essentially similar to the other two! This bill reforms a very important aspect of New Zealand’s intellectual property regime.
