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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1977
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IF A PUBLIC CAR IS REPLACED BY A NEW VEHICLE FOR CONVERSION PURPOSE, THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE WILL REQUIRE ONLY ONE PRE-REGISTRATION INSPECTION. HOWEVER, UNDER THE RELEVANT REGULATION ITS OWNER HAS TO COMPLETE TWO SEPARATE APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION IN RESPECT OF THE VEHICLE AT THE SAME TIME, I.E. FIRST AS A PUBLIC CAR AND THEN AS AN URBAN TAXI. ACCORDINGLY HE HAS TO PAY THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX ON THE VEHICLE AT THE RATE FOR A PUBLIC CAR AND DOUBLE REGISTRATION FEES. THIS IS BECAUSE UNDER THE NEW SECTION 4A(1) OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE, CAP. 220 ONLY A REGISTERED PUBLIC CAR MAY BE RE-REGISTERED AS A TAXI ON APPLICATION.
UPON RE-REGISTRATION OF AN EXISTING PUBLIC CAR AS AN URBAN TAXI, A NEW REGISTRATION MARK WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE VEHICLE AND A NEW REGISTRATION BOOK ISSUED AGAINST THE SURRENDER OF THE OLD REGISTRATION BOOK AND LICENCE DISC IF THIS IS VALID) FOR CANCELLATION. AN APPLICATION FOR THE RETENTION OF THE EXISTING VEHICLE REGISTRATION MARK WILL BE PROCESSED IN THE USUAL WAY SUBJECT TO PAYMENT OF THE PRESCRIBED FEES.
THE OWNERSHIP OF AN URBAN TAXI CONVERTED FROM A PUBLIC CAR UNDER THIS SCHEME MAY BE TRANSFERRED AFTER COMPLETION OF THE USUAL FORMALITIES, BUT RE-LICENSING OF THE TAX! AT THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR IS SUBJECT TO PAYMENT BY THE NEW REGISTERED OWNER AT THAT TIME OF
THE OUTSTANDING SECOND PREMIUM INSTALMENT OF $25,000 APART FROM THE NORMAL RE-LICENSING REQUIREMENTS.
WITH THE FORTHCOMING ABOLITION OF PUBLIC CARS. THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THERE WOULD STILL BE A NEED FOR SALOON CARS ON A CONTRACT HIRE BASIS IN ORDER TO MEET SERVICES PROVIDED BY HOTELS AND TOURIST AGENTS TO THEIR CLIENTS OR THE PRESENT ILLEGAL PAK PAI' FOR PERSONALISED TRANSPORT BETWEEN HOMES, OFFICES AND SCHOOLS.
FOR THIS TYPE OF SERVICES THE HIRE CAR PERMITS WOULD BE ISSUED INITIALLY ONLY TO OPERATORS OF PUBLIC CARS, WHO OPT TO CONVERT THE IR VEHICLES AS PRIVATE CARS WITH A HIRE CAR PERMIT WHICH COSTS $500 FOR ONE YEAR OR $175 FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS.
THE SPOKESMAN WARNED THAT IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL FOR SUCH VEHICLES TO STAND OR PLY FOR HIRE OR REWARD, AND AN OFFENDER WOULD FACE STRINGENT SANCTIONS INVOLVING THE IMPOUNDING OF THE VEHICLE AND SUSPENSION OF ITS LICENCE.
THE SPOKESMAN INDICATED THAT THE OWNERS OF REGISTERED PUBLIC CARS WOULD BE NOTIFIED INDIVIDUALLY BY POST OF THE DETAILS OF THE CONVERSION SCHEME.
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