XN000022-1977-08-14 — Page 5

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 1977

THE TWO NEW BAGGAGE RECLAIM UNITS AT THE ARRIVALS HALL EACH COMPRISES A 90-METRE-LONG CONVEYOR AND TWO AUTOMATIC FEED CONVEYORS WHICH DELIVER BAGS TO THE RECLAIM TRACK AT A RATE OF UP TO MORE THAN 70 BAGS PER MINUTE.

WORKING AT THIS RATE, IT WILL ONLY TAKE 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO UNLOAD A WIDE-CABIN JET WITH HIGH LOAD FACTORS.

EACH OF THESE UNITS HAS A CAPACITY IN EXCESS OF 800

PASSENGERS PER HOUR RESULTING MAINLY FROM THE AUTOMATIC FEED OF BAGS FROM THE INDUCTION BELTS ONTO THE ROTATING LOOPS.

A JAM DETECTION DEVICE IS ALSO INCORPORATED TO ENSURE RAPID ATTENTION WHEN A BAG IS BLOCKED FOR MORE THAN EIGHT SECONDS AT ANY POINT.

WHEN THE THREE SHORTER LOOPS IN THE EXISTING RECLAIM HALL ARE REPLACED AND WITH THE SYSTEMS MODIFIED IN 1979, THE FOUR RECLA IM UNITS WILL BE CAPABLE OF MEETING THE DEMAND EQUIVALENT TO A BUSY HOUR RATE OF 3,200 ARRIVING PASSENGERS.

POPULATION OF HONG KONG OVER 4-1/2 MILLION

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THE ESTIMATED POPULATION OF HONG KONG AT THE END OF JUNE THIS YEAR WAS 4,513,900, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS ANNOUNCED TODAY.

THE FIGURE REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 36,294 PERSONS OVER THE 1976 YEAR-END ESTIMATE, MADE UP OF A +PLUS+ OF 24,145 THROUGH BALANCE OF BIRTHS ÖVER DEATHS AND A GAIN OF 12,149 THROUGH BALANCE OF MIGRATION.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BIRTHS FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS THIS YEAR WAS 36,629 1,601 MORE THAN THE FIGURE FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS FOR THE HALF-YEAR WAS 12,484, COMPARED WITH 11,918 FOR THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD IN 1976.

THE FIGURES ON BIRTHS AND DEATHS ARE BASED ON EVENTS OCCURRING RATHER THAN UPON REGISTRATIONS MADE AND THEREFORE DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THOSE RELEASED BY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL.

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