XN000022-1974-10-21 — Page 12

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1974.

CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL FIRE WARNING

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THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WILL BE CELEBRATING THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL THIS WEDNESDAY WHICH IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY, AND THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TODAY APPEALED TO INTENDING PICNICKERS AND INCENSE BURNERS TO BE CAREFUL TO AVOID STARTING FIRES.

A SPOKESMAN SAID THE HOLIDAY WAS USUALLY ONE OF THE BUSIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR FIREMEN, RESULTING FROM THE NORMAL MASS EXODUS OUT OF DOORS.

+WE ANSWERED DOZENS OF HILL AND FOREST FIRE CALLS LAST YEAR,+ HE SAID. +HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE DESTROYED AND LARGE AREAS OF COUNTRYSIDE SPOILT, ALL UNNECESSARILY. BY WARNING PEOPLE TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL, WE HOPE TO PREVENT THE SAME THING HAPPENING THIS YEAR.+

FAILURE TO TAKE A FEW COMMON SENSE PRECAUTIONS WAS AT THE ROOT. OF MOST OF THE FIRES, HE SAID, CITING AS EXAMPLES DISPOSAL OF CIGARETTE ENDS AND MATCHES WHEN STILL ALIGHT, LACK OF CONTROL OF BARBECUE FIRES OR NOT ENSURING THAT THEY ARE EXTINGUISHED BEFORE LEAVING THE AREA, AND INCENSE BURNERS BEING CARELESS WITH LIGHTED PAPER.

HE POINTED OUT THAT, DESPITE TYPHOON CARMEN, THE RISK OF FIRE WAS STILL HIGH AND EVERYONE VISITING THE COUNTRYSIDE DURING THE HOLIDAY SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIKE. + IT IS A MATTER OF SIMPLY BEING CAREFUL,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

JULY ACCOUNTS SHOW $106 MILLION DEFICIT ******

THE GOVERNMENT'S ACCOUNTS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 1974 SHOW A DEFICIT OF $106 MILLION, COMPARED WITH A DEFICIT OF $10 MILLION IN JULY LAST YEAR.

THE DEFICIT WAS MAINLY DUE TO INCREASED SPENDING ON PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS AND TO ACCELERATED PROGRESS, PERMITTED BY THE DRY SUMMER, ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.

THE RESULT IS AN ACCUMULATED DEFICIT OF $388 MILLION FOR

THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE MONTH AT $398 MILLION WAS $26 MILLION MORE THAN JULY 1973. TOTAL EXPENDITURE AT $504 MILLION WAS $122 MILLION MORE THAN THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR.