As ards the incidence of fires, the Brigade has just seen a record out, 405 calls having been received in 1921, SO more than during 1917.
On Sunday the New Year was just being rung in when Hongkew ed out for a fire in the vicinity kiangwan Road. A straw hut 1s found to be practically burnt down, but as no damage had been done to surrounding property the firemen merely busied—themselves in securing the safety of the adjoining houses.
Two other calls were answered on New Year's day. Yangtszepoo were out just before five in. the evening. The' supposed outbreak picked only to be the smoke rising from the incineration of some clothing which had belonged to someone dying from a contagious he next call, between 8 and 9 p-ni., took place in Woosung Road at a poultry shop. It was soon quelled and no harm was done to the inmates or property.
On Monday Central had a busy five minutes at a temporary joss house at the corner of Thibet Road and Avenue Edward VII. The temple being in course of rebuilding, the priests had recently been performing their rituals in a matshed, which had caught alight. The Hud-ford Garage was in imminent danger and also some dwellings nearby. In fact the windows of 852 and 854 in the Avenue were alight, bus no interior damage was done, and the firemen succeeded in keeping the area of flames well around the improvised joss house.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.