(By Our Parliamentary Special ) (By Telegraph). WELLINGTON, August 23. The twelfth annual report of the Register of "Patents- is as follows: — The total number of patents applied ior was 1009, an increase of 17 over the " previous year. ' There was' no marked increase in any particular class of invention, but the largest number of/ applications were made for inven tions -under the following headings, viz. : Boiler, etc., 29 (including 14 spark arresters) ; building, 33 ; dredging, etc., 51 (including 28 for dredges and parts thereof) ; engines, etc., 46 (including 12 electric motors);- illuminating, 46 (in cluding 17 electric illuminating appli ances); minerals, 105 (including 52 for saving and extracting gold); railways, 37 '(including 11- couplings and 'draught appliances) ; and xokd vehicles, 55 (in cluding 27 relating to cycles). There were also five applications in respect of linotype maohines. As usual, the large majority of the applications came from inventors resident in New Zealand, of ■n-hom there were 610. The United Kingdom came next with" 120,' -the United States 88, Victoria 70, Ad X New South Wnles 52. Thero were 10 "women inventions, all in New Zealand. - There were 13 applications 'under the Inter national Convention, by which, a right of priority-is secured in those Countries which are parties to the Convention. A change has been made in the .method of sending out the English - specifica tions supplied to this - office -through the 'kindness of the Controller-General of Patents, London. These have.Jhither to been retained at .the publisher's-.un til several volumes were collected, when they w.ere bound and sent out.-'A^con siderable "time has thus elapsed, in some cases two years or more, between the dato of the publishing of a speci fication and of its receipt in the"'col ony, i The specifications are now sent out. every month, in small lots, and as. soon 'as received are available for mV epection.- When a sufficient number of volumes have com.o"to hand they can * bo bound in tho colony equally as well as the work has been done in London, at rather less cost, ' r ' • •

On. our first page will be fonnd in teresting reading matter under the following headings: — "Accidents and Fatalities," "Sporting," "Parliament," and "Football.V Drastic military precautions are be ing taken for the safety of the Czar during his visit to France. 