N 8
Old barriers were cleared before the commencement of the dry season, the total lengths dealt with amounted to 22 miles in the New Territories and 15 miles in Hongkong.
4
Hill fires were numerous and serious during the year, the total number dealt with being 68 as against 18 during the previous year, of these 11 occurred during the first quarter, 4 in the second, 3 in the third, and 50 in the fourth.
On April 5th the day of the Tsing Ming Festival, no fires were reported, this most fortunate state of affairs being almost entirely due to the rain which fell on the preceding day.
On October 10th the day of the Chung Yeung Festival 21 fires broke out in or very closely adjoining Pine plantations, all the fires originated from crackers being fired and sacrificial papers burned in the vicinity of solitary hillside graves or in cemeteries.
At Tai Hau Wan Cemetery ten fires were in progress at the same time.
The most serious fire occurred in the newly formed Pine plantations above the Shek O Road where not less than 10,000 young trees were totally destroyed.
The thanks of the Department are due to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs for the loan of watchmen on both festival days, also to the Captain Superintendent of Police and Police Officers in charge of outlying stations for promptly reporting and dealing with fires during both day and night.
Forest Guards Service.-Forestry offences were more numerous than usual owing to the general strike and the resulting high prices of imported firewood, during the early days of the strike raids were made by night and day by organised gangs of timber thieves who did serious damage to plantations and were able to find an immediate sale for stolen firewood.
A squad of Forest Guards in a motor lorry was employed to deal with the nuisance, and this method was successful in Hongkong, more difficulty was experienced in dealing with the damage in outlying districts away from main roads and where plantations closely adjoin the sea.
The total number of persons arrested and charged during the year was 488 as compared with 449 in 1924 and 406 in 1923, of these 376 were fined or imprisoned, 23 cautioned, received strokes with a light rattan cane, 22 had their bail estreated and 5 were discharged.
Further particulars of these cases are given in Tables II and III.