Full description
On 19 November 1932 a Royal Commission was established to investigate certain matters under the administrative control of the Metropolitan Board of Water, Sewerage and Drainage. Among the matters for investigation was the use by the Board of inventions for lining cast iron pipes and "the interest of any officer of the Board therein".
As a result of the Royal Commission a Patents Committee was established consisting of an officer from both the Public Service Board and the Treasury, and a Technical Officer of the Service, to review any patents submitted by officers or employees of any government or quasi-government body. In the Railway Department a Suggestions and Inventions Board had operated from 1915, becoming a permanent board in 1920, and had investigated over 60,000 ideas; an average of 17% were adopted each year. As the scheme related almost always to railways and operated satisfactorily the Railway Department was excluded from the Committee's activities; this policy was confirmed in 1944.
The Committee met for the first time on 31 January 1934 with H.F. Searl, Principal Assistant Engineer with Public Works, as chairman, and R.P. Walker, Chief Clerk at Treasury, and R.H. Hicks, Inspector with the Public Service Board, as members. Initially the Committee met at frequent intervals, reviewed a wide range of patents and examined the patent applications. However, after 1940 the Committee met irregularly and only when matters were specifically referred to it.
In 1982 the role of the Public Works Department on the Committee was transferred to the Department of Decentralisation and Development. (1)
Endnote
(1) Concise Guide to the New South Wales State Archives, 3rd ed. (q.v. Public Works T. Patents Committee).
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