ENG-1955 — Page 216

COMMUNICATIONS

165

light distribution. A total of 750 new lamps was installed; the number in operation in December was approx. 5,250.

VEHICLES

The number of vehicles registered was 24,986, not including trailers, hand-carts and public chairs. This is an increase of 2,824 over 1954, representing a density of 58 vehicles per mile of roadway.

Private cars

16,802

Motor cycles

1,427

Taxis

344

Public hire cars

283

Buses

563

Public commercial lorries

1,394

Private commercial lorries

1,704

Government vehicles

814

Private rickshas

32

Public rickshas

853

Private tricycles

770

24,986

CIVIL AVIATION

Hong Kong Airport (Kai Tak), situated on the main- land about 4 miles from the S. extremity of Kowloon Peninsula, is under the control of the Director of Civil Aviation. With Kowloon Bay adjacent to it, the Airport is suitable for land and sea aircraft, both types being controlled from the same centre. There are at present two runways, NW - SE (5,418′ x 200′), and E- W (4,756′ x 200').

The standards and recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization in respect of air traffic control, telecommunications, air navigational aids, meteorological and aeronautical information, air-sea rescue, fire, crash and safety services, customs, health and immigration, are followed, and air registration examinations are conducted.

Details of the new vastly enlarged Airport now under construction are given in the Review of the Year, and an impression of what it will look like when completed will be found in the illustration opposite page 156. The plans involve the construction of a new runway 7,200 ft. by 200 ft. on a promontory 8,200 ft. by 800 ft. projecting into Kowloon Bay. This will enable all types of aircraft to operate into Hong Kong on a 24-hour basis, and it is