XN000022-1986-02-03 — Page 17

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1936

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DRY WEATHER LEADS TO MORE FIRE CALLS

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A MONTHLY RECORD OF 2 345 FIRE CALLS WERE RECEIVED THIS YEAR, REPRESENTING AN 84 PER CENT INCREASE OVER JANUARY 1985,

A FIRE SERVICES SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE DRY WEATHER WAS THE MAIN CAUSE FOR THE OVERALL RISE IN ALL TYPES OF FIRES, INCLUDING HILL FIRES WHICH OCCURRED OUTSIDE THE PLANTATION AREAS.

AS THE LUNAR NEW YEAR IS ROLLING IN, THE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE EXTRA CAUTION AGAINST POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARDS CAUSED BY THE BURNING OF JOSS STICKS AND JOSS PAPER, THE SPOKESMAN WARNED.

THEY SHOULD NOT LEAVE THE BURNING TRIBUTE UNATTENDED- ALL FIRES HAVE TO BE EXTINGUISHED, HE SAID.

LAST YEAR A TOTAL OF 161 FIRES WERE CAUSED BY THE BURNING OF JOSS STICKS AND JOSS PAPER, HE ADDED.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT EXPERIENCED A BUSY START IN 1986, AS THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SPECIAL SERVICES HAD ALSO JUMPED 23 PER CENT FROM 667 IN JANUARY 1985 TO 821 FOR THE SAME MONTH THIS YEAR, WHILE THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES ROSE 12 PER CENT FROM 27 712 TO 31 097.

SHAM SHUI PO PLANS BIG YEAR-END FESTIVAL

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A FIVE-WEEK FESTIVAL, THE LARGEST EVER PLANNED FOR SHAM SHUT PO, WILL BE HELD AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

ANNOUCING THE PLANS AT THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FESTIVAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON, DISTRICT OFFICER, MR SYLVESTER TSE APPEALED TO DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS TO CONTRIBUTE ACTIVITIES OF THEIR OWN TO THE PROGRAMME.

THE FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD FROM NOVEMBER 8 TO DECEMBER 15 AND WILL STRESS DIVERSITY AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

+THE AIM IS TO PROMOTE INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN ART, SPORT, CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES BY PROVIDING HEALTHY AND FREE OR INEXPENSIVE ENTERTAINMENT FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS.

+WE HOPE THESE ACTIVITIES WILL HELP FOSTER DISTRICT IDENTITY AND A SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG THE RESIDENTS, AND PROMOTE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTRICT, MR TSE SAID.

/THE FESTIVAL

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