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LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS
is attributed partly to the measures imposed by the Chinese authorities and the Macau Government on would-be emigrants and partly to the regular patrolling of Hong Kong territorial waters by units of the anti-illegal immigration branch. Some 19 seaward patrol vessels were regularly on service, supported by a number of smaller craft. When circumstances permitted, Royal Navy vessels gave assistance in patrol and search duties against illegal immigration. Units of the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force also co-operated with the branch on a number of occasions.
The main routes of illegal entry into Hong Kong were again Macau by sea and from other small ports nearby on the mainland. Many illegal immigrants attempted to cross to Hong Kong on their own rather than use 'travel agencies', a number of which, estab- lished earlier in Macau, had to close down. Some pressure to enter illegally occurred from time to time at certain sections of the land frontier with China, and it was necessary to continue regular and careful patrolling on land as well as at sea. A number of arrests were made by village penetration patrols on islands and in the remoter parts of the New Territories, and at road blocks in the New Territories.
Traffic Branch. The number of motor and other vehicles registered and in use increased by 9,912 to a total of 72,968 on 31st December 1963. This brings the number of motor vehicles to every mile of road. to 135.6. An average of 200 additional vehicles are registered every week and the number is now more than double that of six years ago. There has been a corresponding increase in the number of drivers. (These and other traffic figures are contained in Appen- dix IX).
The need to impose strict control on traffic has continued not only because of the number of vehicles but because of the intensive rate of building development which has shown no sign of abating. The Public Works Department approved 1,328 plans for new buildings in 1962 or about three times as many as in 1960. In 1963 more than 2,578 were approved. As a result road works for drainage, water, gas, electricity and other services have interrupted traffic flow more acutely than ever before. The volume of vehicle and foot traffic is now too heavy for many of the Colony's roads and pavements and the introduction of one-way streets, pedestrian traffic lights and other similar aids are only temporary palliatives.