AnnualReport-1926 — Page 265

K 23

# SPECIAL EVENTS.

I. The outstanding events of the year were first and foremost a very serious fire at the largest Hotel in the Colony on New Year's Day, a Bomb outrage in Kowloon unfortunately attended by loss of life, a very serious rain storm accompanied by floods and collapses and consequent loss of life and much material damage, two piracies attended by loss of life, the stranding of a Police cruising launch, as also the Sham Chun river Police Motor Boat and capture of her crew by Strike pickets, and finally in December a very successful engagement with Armed Robbers at Kwai Chung in the New Territories. Details of these events are given below.

II. A new institution, viz., The Street Boys Club for waifs and strays under 18 years of age who normally live from hand to mouth, sleep in the streets, and are prospective criminals if left to their own devices, was opened at the Central Police Station and has so far proved a great success. Further details appear in the 1st Annual Report on this Club (Annexe C). It is hoped that the Club which has now moved to premises outside but still near Police Headquarters will continue to flourish as there is undoubtedly great need for such an institution to help lads who often, through no fault of their own, are suddenly left entirely unprovided for and thrown on their own resources. The Club gives the opportunity of earning an honest living, and encourages at the same time thrift and self-help.

1. Hong Kong Hotel Fire, 1st January 1926:- A very serious fire broke out on the top floor of the Hong Kong Hotel sometime before 9 a.m. on New Year's Day. There was some delay in calling up the Fire Brigade where the call was received at 9.08 a.m. by which time the whole roof of the main building lying between Des Voeux Road Central and Pedder Street was already involved. The building consists of 6 stories and difficulty was experienced in getting water at high pressure up to the top floor. Owing to the Hotel fire service being brought into use on the ground floor to play into the lift shaft, which the Hotel employés thought was on fire, no pressure was obtainable through this service on the upper floors, thereby giving the fire, which it is surmised originated in the Boys Quarters under the roof, a further hold before effective jets from without could be brought to bear on the flames. Assistance from the Navy and Military was obtained and by noon the fire was under control. By that time however the two upper floors had been completely gutted and portions of floors below were seriously damaged by fire and water. Later in the year the entire building was pulled down with the exception of the outer walls of the ground and 1st floors. No attempt has been made so far to rebuild the premises. No lives were lost among the occupants of the Hotel but unfortunately a sailor, who was helping the Fire Brigade, missed his footing and fell from an upper storey into the road below and was killed. Shortly after the fire His Excellency the Governor ordered an Enquiry to be...