Touring - What are these "features" on this rear rack?

I bought this bike on an impulse and trying to decide what to do with it. It's a Novara Viaggio (which there don't seem to be too many of) and I can't figure out what the hook on the back of the rack does (it moves and has a reflector on it. There are also tubes running underneath the platform and "arms" underneath pointing in (almost like it could hold a U lock being slid in) that I haven't figured out.

There also appear to be some channels on the top platform. If anyone knows about the rack, is it a good one for touring? Seems pretty sturdy. Thanks guys.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/tdister/rack001.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/tdister/rack002.jpg

It is a U-Lock. The U lock will slide into the rails and then you hold the lock in place with the lock the reflector is on.
Not sure about the top channels though.

That is what it is for, from what I can see, to secure a U-Lock. The clip is to make sure it doesn't come flying out the back. The other two channels have center pipes under them too for shorter U-locks. Just slide the locking pin into the next one up, and clip it in.

The top small grooves I think you are talking about, are quite possibly for a bungee type cargo securing net, or for bags?

OK, thanks.

My Onguard lock is just too narrow in the "U" and too fat in the lock-bar to use it then. I might have to hunt down a lock that fits, seems like a great way to carry it.

Possibly Novara made (makes?) a rack top trunk bag with fittings that slide into those top channels. That's my guess.