XN000022-1977-11-01 — Page 3

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1977

MR. THOMAS POINTED OUT THAT COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEMS OF TRAFFIC CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE WERE BEING INSTALLED IN THE SECOND LION ROCK TUNNEL AND WERE BEING PLANNED FOR THE ABERDEEN AND AIRPORT TUNNELS.

THESE SYSTEMS INCLUDE CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION, EMERGENCY TELEPHONES, AND ELECTRONICALLY VARIABLE SIGNS.

SIGNS ON THE APPROACHES TO THE SECOND LION ROCK TUNNEL HAVE ALREADY BEEN ERECTED, READY FOR ITS OPENING IN THE NEW YEAR.

IN PREPARATION FOR THE OUTCOME OF THE STUDY, MR. THOMAS SAID, EMERGENCY TELEPHONES WOULD BE INSTALLED SOON ALONG TUEN MUN ROAD AND THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR.

+THESE TELEPHONES WILL BE LINKED DIRECT TO TRAFFIC CONTROL ROOMS AND ARE FOR USE BY DRIVERS WHO WISH TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE EVENT OF BREAKDOWNS AND ACCIDENTS, + HE SAID.

FOREIGN COMPANIES REACH 1,000 MARK

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THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN COMPANIES REGISTERED IN HONG KONG UNDER THE COMPANIES ORDINANCE REACHED THE 1.000 MARK TODAY (TUESDAY) ACCORDING TO RECORDS IN THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.

THEY ARE FROM 48 COUNTRIES WITH THE UNITED STATES LEADING WITH 253 COMPANIES, IT IS FOLLOWED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH 128 AND JAPAN 116.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT SAID THE FIGURE DID NOT INCLUDE FOREIGN COMPANIES OPERATING IN HONG KONG THROUGH LOCAL AGENTS BECAUSE ONLY THOSE WHICH HAD ESTABLISHED A PLACE OF BUSINESS IN HONG KONG WERE REQUIRED TO REGISTER WITH THE COMPANIES REGISTRY.

THE FIRST FOREIGN COMPANY ON THE REGISTER IS AN AMERICAN BANK WHICH OBTAINED ITS POST-WAR REGISTRATION IN 1946. SINCE THEN 1,777 FOREIGN COMPANIES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED, BUT OVER THE YEARS. 777 CEASED TO HAVE A PLACE OF BUSINESS IN HONG KONG AND WERE DE-REGISTERED.

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