Section 31:
Registration to be prima facie evidence of validity.
(1) In all legal proceedings relating to a
trade mark registered under this Act (including applications under section 57), the original registration of
the trade mark and of all subsequent assignments and transmissions of the trade mark shall be prima facie
evidence of the validity thereof.
(2) In all legal proceedings as aforesaid a registered trade mark shall not be held to be invalid on the
ground that it was not a registrable trade mark under section 9 except upon evidence of distinctiveness
and that such evidence was not submitted to the Registrar before registration, if it is proved that the trade
mark had been so used by the registered proprietor or his predecessor in title as to have become
distinctive at the date of registration.