Memorandum
66
On the 23rd of September, 1914, the Board of Trade issued a licence allowing fees to be paid for the renewal of trade-marks on behalf of enemies, soe page 381 of the Manual of Emergency Legislation). I understand the reason for this action was the fear that, if we allowed German trade-marks in this country to lapse, the Germans would retaliate by allowing
trade marks British patents in Germany to lapse, and that we should, suffer more than the Germans in the exchange. The licence applied to all persons carrying on business in His Majesty's Dominions, and it was communicated to the Governor of Hong Kong in due course.
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At the end of 1914 we adopted the general policy of liquidating enemy firms in our Crown Colonies and Protectorates. This liquidation was ot, however, allowed to include the trade-marks and other permanent assets of the liquidated firms
Early in 1916 this policy was changed, and
we directed all the Colonial Governments which were carrying on liquidations, to include therein trade-marks and other permanent assets.
As stated below, Hong Kong asked to be allowed
not to sell trade-marks belonging to the liquidated
firms and we agreed to this policy.
The question of cancellation of enemy trade-marks in the Colonies has never even been
considered