INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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firms represent factories of all sizes and industries. The Association has played an important role in the industrial development of Hong Kong.
TRADE MARKS AND PATENTS
Trade Marks are registered under the Trade Marks Ordinance, which is based on the Trade Marks Act 1938 of the United Kingdom. The procedure is laid down in the Trade Marks Rules, and the prescribed forms may be obtained, free of charge, from the Registrar of Trade Marks, Registrar General's Department. Every mark, even if already registered in the United Kingdom or any other country, must satisfy all the requirements of the Hong Kong Trade Marks Ordinance before it may be accepted for registration. During the year 1,887 applications were received and 1,590 (including many made in previous years) were accepted and allowed to proceed to advertisement. A total of 1,560 marks were registered, the principal countries of origin being:
United States of America 398
Hong Kong
United Kingdom
-Japan...
...
...
West Germany
***
85
385
Switzerland Australia
29
**
...
•
...
218
France
29
126
Italy
27
126
Singapore
10
•
The total number of marks on the Register at December 31, 1967 was 21,879.
Hong Kong law does not provide for the original grant of patents, but 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 under the Registration of United Kingdom Patents Ordinance. Registration confers the same rights as though the patent had been issued in the United Kingdom with an extension to Hong Kong. Continuing the steadily rising trend of recent years, a record number of 371 patents were registered during the year, an increase of 52 over the previous year.
COMPANIES
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The Companies Registry keeps records of all companies incorporated in Hong Kong and also of all foreign corporations which have established a place of business in the Colony. Local
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