XN000022-1975-02-08 — Page 5

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1975

BIG DROP IN FIRES

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THE NUMBER OF FIRES DURING THE PEAK FIRE PERIOD OCTOBER- JANUARY HAS DROPPED BY 44 PER CENT, AND GRASS, HILL AND FOREST FIRES BY 78 PER CENT.

REVEALING THIS TODAY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID THAT WHILE THE REDUCTION WAS HEARTENING, NO ONE COULD AFFORD TO LET DOWN HIS GUARD PARTICULARLY OVER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS WHEN THE FIRE RISK TENDS TO RISE.

BETWEEN OCTOBER 1, 1974 AND JANUARY 31, 1975 THERE WERE 2,472 FIRES, COMPARED WITH 4,415 DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 1973/74. THE CORRESPONDING FIGURES FOR GRASS, HILL AND FOREST FIRES WERE 490 AND 2,198 - A DROP OF ALMOST 78 PER CENT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID FIREMEN WERE USUALLY VERY BUSY DURING THESE MONTHS, FIGHTING FROM TWO TO FIVE AS MANY FIRES THAN NORMAL, MOST OF THEM IN THE COUNTRYSIDE,

COMPARING THE WHOLE OF 1974 WITH 1973, THERE WAS AN OVERALL FALL OF 60 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF FIRES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE UNSEASONAL WEATHER UNDOUBTEDLY HAD PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT PART IN KEEPING THE NUMBER OF FIRE DOWN. HE ADDED +WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THINK THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE BECOMING MORE FIRE-PREVENTION CONSCIOUS.+

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POLYCLINIC FOR EAST KOWLOON

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A POLYCLINIC IS TO BE BUILT NEAR THE CHOI HUNG ESTATE TO SERVE RESIDENTS IN THE EASTERN PART OF KOWLOON.

LOCATED ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF HAMMER HILL ROAD, THE KOWLOON EAST POLYCLINIC WILL CONSIST OF TWO TWO-STOREY BUILDINGS.

CONSTRUCTION WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN TWO STAGES.

STAGE I COMPRISES A MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH. CENTRE, A CHEST CLINIC AND A STANDARD URBAN CLINIC WITH A GENERAL OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT.

CONSTRUCTION WORK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN APRIL AND WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO COMPLETE.

THE SECOND STAGE OF THE POLYCLINIC, CONSISTING MAINLY OF A DENTAL CLINIC AND SPECIALIST FACILITIES, WILL BE BUILT AT A LATER DATE.