N 11
The most serious of all the fires broke out at night in plantation 9B adjoining the Sai Kung Road, where 700 large Pines were killed.
The thanks of the Department are due to the Captain Superintendent of Police for allowing officers in charge of outlying stations to engage coolies and deal with numerous forest fires which broke out at night.
The Tsing Ming Festival was on April 5th and fortunately there was a light drizzly rain falling during part of the day, this had the effect of damping all grass in and around hill graves and cemeteries and so preventing a single fire from breaking out.
The Chung Yeung Festival was on October 28th and eleven small fires, all resulting from careless use of fire-crackers or sacrificial paper, were beaten out before they could spread to adjoining plantations.
The whole of the forestry staff assisted by District Watchmen and 150 extra coolies were on watch the whole day in cemeteries and plantations adjoining those cemeteries where most of the worshipping is carried on.
The thanks of the Department are due to the Honourable the Secretary for Chinese Affairs for lending 10 District Watchmen to assist in watching for and dealing with fires at both the Tsing Ming and Chung Yeung Festivals.
Forest Guards Service.--The total number of persons arrested or proceeded against by summons was 335 as compared with 287 during the previous year; of this number 280 were convicted, 27 cautioned, 7 discharged, 10 had their bail estreated and 11 were required to find a personal bond.
PARTICULARS OF THESE CASES ARE GIVEN IN TABLES II AND III.
In two cases of damage to native Camphor trees by persons gathering very large quantities of the branches, leaves and twigs for the purpose of distilling Camphor, action was taken by this Department and the Police Officers of the districts concerned. As a result the two offenders appeared before the District Officer, North and each was fined $248 with the option of 2 months' imprisonment.
A close watch was maintained the three weeks preceding Chinese New Year, on all districts where the Chinese New Year Flower (Enkianthus quinqueflorus) is found; a number of persons were arrested while cutting growing plants, but the total amount of damage done was much less than in former years.
During the labour trouble in March, when only very small and inadequate supplies of firewood were arriving in the Colony from the usual sources, a considerable amount of damage was done to Pine plantations, native trees and protected forest areas by persons