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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
The Fire Services Department, which is under the control of a director, provides fire protection throughout the urban areas and in the main districts of the New Territories, and for shipping in the harbour. Additional fire stations are now under construction to increase fire cover for the Colony as part of a 10-year develop- ment plan which began in 1960. The Fire Service has an establish- ment of over 1,200 officers and other ranks, with 104 vehicles, four fire boats, 26 ambulances and five sitting case cars.
The Stores Department, under a controller, buys and distributes Government stores, maintains all furniture for offices and quarters, and administers the Government monopoly of sand. The Printing Department, under the Government Printer, is responsible for the printing of most Government publications. The Quartering Office deals with accommodation for civil servants.
NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION
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The New Territories are divided into five administrative districts, each under a District Officer who has a staff of between 75 and 160, depending on the size of the district. The largest and most populous district is Tai Po, which covers the north-east-of the New Territories and has its District Office at Tai Po Market. The second largest and most populous district is Yuen Long in the north-west, with its District Office at Ping Shan. The third district is Tsuen Wan, which covers the rapidly growing industrial com- plex of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island, as well as Ma Wan Island and the northern tip of Lantau Island. Its District Office is in Tsuen Wan' itself. The fourth and fifth districts are Sai Kung and Islands, both of which have District Offices in Gascoigne Road, Kowloon. The Sai Kung District covers the southern part of the Sai Kung peninsula, the Clear Water Bay peninsula and the adjoining islands. The Islands District covers practically all of Lantau, Cheung Chau and all the other islands to the west and south of Hong Kong.
A District Commissioner co-ordinates the overall administration of the New Territories from an office in North Kowloon. He is assisted by a Deputy District Commissioner and a headquarters staff which, including the Cadastral Survey staff, totals 106.
The District Officers are concerned with every aspect of Govern- ment activity in their districts and act as the principal links between