Parking Meter Section
8.24. This Section consists of the main workshop at Caroline Hill and two depots, one each in Hong Kong and Kowloon, and is responsible for the installation, servicing and maintenance of all parking meters throughout the Colony. At the end of the year there were 6,641 meters in operation. During the year 123,865 meter faults were attended, 71% of which were caused by attempts to use foreign articles instead of the correct coins. A total of 7,085 meters were cleaned and overhauled, 6,074 mechanisms changed and 707 new meters installed. 784 meters were removed and 336 reinstalled.
Transport Pool
8.25. The 135 vehicles of the Government Transport Pool made 30,712 trips during the year, an increase of 13% on the previous year's figure. In addition, 4,765 commercial vehicles were hired to supplement pool transport. 919 candidates for motor driver vacancies throughout the entire public service were tested and 169 were engaged. Government vehicles of all Departments were involved in 1,467 accidents.
VEHICLE DESIGN AND PROCUREMENT SECTION
8.26. During the year, 414 new vehicles were received and put into service, while only 250 were disposed of. The vehicles received were diverse, ranging from motor-scooters to armoured personnel carriers and from 5 cwt. Mini Vans to 5 ton Meat Delivery Vans. Designs were completed for some 25 new types of vehicle bodies and among the most interesting of these was the introduction of an all-aluminium, detachable container-type body for applications where severe body corrosion has taken place in the past. In addition, this section contracted and supervised the construction and repair of 314 vehicle bodies and a large number of refuse bins, refuse collection handcarts and vehicle ancillaries.
PLANT OPERATION
Incinerators, Abattoirs and Compost Plant
8.27. In September the Lai Chi Kok Incinerator Plant was shut down to permit the installation of a new submerged ash conveyor. The opportunity was taken to carry out a major overhaul of the plant which had been in continuous service for seventeen months. Plant staff