year's record total. The aggregate of all capitals was up, too, to a new record figure of $2,280m., $681m. more than in 1969-70. The most notable changes in numbers according to business are listed in paragraph 73, and include striking increases of 207 to 978 in the number of importers and exporters, of 183 to 523 in land investment, of 96 to 267 in financiers and capitalists, of 23 to 60 in transportation and of 16 to 113 in textile manufacturers. The businesses in which there were decreases were plastics manufacturers, down 18 to 97, engineering, down 14 to 100, garment manufacturers, down 10 to 135, and chemicals, down 7 to 30. 317 companies were dissolved, including 193 struck off the Register under section 291 of the Companies Ordinance, leaving 18,993 companies on the Register at the end of the year. The number of companies in- corporated outside the Colony which have established a place of business here rose by 58 to 713, including 183 companies incorporated in the United States, 94 in the United Kingdom, and 73 in Japan. With the vast amount of trade conducted in and from Hong Kong, there is also a vast amount of insurance business done, and there are as many as 214 companies conducting the regulated classes of business, including 65 United Kingdom companies, 58 Hong Kong companies and 32 United States companies.
10. The total number of applications for registration of trade marks was 2,649, 101 less than the record number of 2,750 in 1969-70 but nevertheless the second highest yearly total ever recorded. The United States led with 466 applications, followed by Hong Kong with 375 and Japan with 301. 1,770 marks were registered, the highest figure ever recorded, and 1,292 renewed, bringing the total on the register up to 25,261. 391 patents were registered during the year. The United States was in the lead with 194, the United Kingdom, West Germany, Switzerland and Japan following with 52, 48, 33 and 27 respectively.
Bankruptcies and Liquidations
11. Five receiving orders, one administration order and eight winding- up orders were made during the year as compared with ten, one and thirteen respectively in 1969-70. The total number of new cases was the lowest since 1962-63, but the number of bankruptcy and liquidation cases that come into the hands of the Official Receiver is no reliable index to business conditions, since every year many businesses which fail simply close down without ever becoming the subject of bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings. However, it will be noted that the estimated total liabilities of those cases in which orders were made during the year
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