COMMUNICATIONS
271
gas lamps and low-powered electric lights are being rapidly replaced with high wattage Mercury Vapour and Sodium Gaseous Discharge lamps, the Sodium lamps being used at the upper levels of the Island where mist is prevalent.
460 new lamps were installed, and a total of 6,117 lamps were in operation at the end of the year.
VEHICLES
The number of vehicles registered in the Colony was 32,924, excluding trailers, hand-carts, public chairs and bicycles. This is an overall increase of 3,920 over 1956. There is now a density of 71 vehicles for every mile of roadway.
Private cars
Motor Cycles
Taxis
Buses
Goods Vehicles
Crown Vehicles
Rickshaws
Pedal Tricycles
Total
22,474
1,948
693
724
4,336
1,077
874
798
32,924
MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK
Hong Kong's first multi-storey car park was opened in December at the Star Ferry Concourse on the central reclamation in Victoria. The three-storey building which has parking space for 400 cars is open day and night. At the end of the year fees at the rate of $1.00 for five hours were tending to discourage long-term parking, since there was still sufficient alternative free parking space available in the central area; but the 50 cent rate for two hours or less made the car park fairly popular with shoppers and other motorists paying only a short visit to town. The building is being operated by the Urban Services Depart- ment, under the general control of the Urban Council.