ENG-1963 — Page 285

LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS

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business is transacted annually and altogether there are seven companies engaged in it. The approval of the Governor in Council must be obtained for transacting motor vehicle third party insur- ance business.

The Registrar of Companies keeps a list of all persons and firms authorized for appointment as auditors of locally incorporated companies. The list is in two parts: part one contains the names of auditors authorized to audit accounts kept in English, and part two those of auditors authorized to audit accounts kept in Chinese. On 31st December 1963 there were 177 names (including 39 firms) in part one and 145 names (including 32 firms) in part two. The companies registry also deals with the incorporation of trustees under the Registered Trustees Incorporation Ordinance, 1958, and with the registration of limited partnerships, Chinese partnerships, and money-lenders.

Trade Marks and Patents Registries. Trade marks are registered under the Trade Marks Ordinance, 1954, which is based on the Trade Marks Act, 1938, of the United Kingdom. The procedure is laid down in the Trade Marks Rules, 1954, and the prescribed forms may be obtained free of charge from the Registrar of Trade Marks, Registrar General's Department.

During the year 2,166 applications for registration were received and 1,223 (including many made in previous years) were accepted and allowed to proceed to advertisement. A total of 1,230 marks were registered, the principal countries of origin being: Hong Kong 404, United States of America 218, United Kingdom 201, Japan 95, Germany 70, Switzerland 52, and France 20. The total number of marks on the register on 31st December 1963 was 19,283.

Hong Kong law does not provide for the original grant of pat- ents, but patents registered in the United Kingdom are registrable under the Registration of United Kingdom Patents Ordinance (Chapter 42). This provides that the grantee of a United Kingdom patent may, within five years from the date of its issue, apply to have it registered in Hong Kong. Registration confers the same rights as though the patent had been issued in the United Kingdom with an extension to Hong Kong; 163 patents were registered during the year as compared with 161 in 1962.

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