THE COURTS, POLICE, PRISONS AND RECORDS
223
1,229 for the same period. Comparative figures for the last four years are:
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
Fatal
139
131
125
154
174
Serious Injury Slight Injury
735
672
748
951
1,229
3,745
3,618
3,726
4,513
4,969
Total
4,619 4,421
4,599 5,618
6,372
The number of drivers increased by 14,859, bringing the total of licensed drivers up to 104,288.
During the year 26,086 provisional (learner) driving licences were issued, and 22,137 driving-tests were conducted.
Immigration Office. The Commissioner of Police is concurrently the Immigration Officer for the Colony. All persons entering the Colony must be in possession of valid travel documents. All aliens are required to have visas, except those passing through on ships or aircraft. Special arrangements cover the entry of Cantonese from Kwangtung Province and these include a quota system. Local residents wishing to visit China may ensure their return outside the quota by using a re-entry permit, valid for twelve months. The number of re-entry permits issued during 1959 was 337,202.
The movement of European refugees from China through Hong Kong continues under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 1,519 of these persons passed through the Colony during the year, bringing the total to 13,972 since 1952.
There were 37,627 visas, 4,350 new British passports and 14,223 Certificates of Identity issued during the year. The total recorded movement in and out of Hong Kong during 1959 was 2,224,503.
PRISONS
There are eight institutions administered by the Commissioner of Prisons from headquarters in the centre of the City of Victoria. Stanley, Victoria and Lai Chi Kok are maximum security prisons; Chi Ma Wan and Tai Lam are minimum security prisons; Stanley and Cape Collinson are open Training Centres for boys in the age group 14-21. The eighth institution is the Staff Training School.
Stanley Prison was built in 1937 to hold 1,746 prisoners. It has always been overcrowded but 1959 was the worst year in its history