There were more than 60 fires in these areas in the class of property referred to during the year. In the more serious of these, or which there were eight, the fire spread with such rapidity on account of the incredible congestion and the inflammability of the structures that it had involved a huge area before the detachment could get to work, and in every instance large blocks of similarly built end equally combustible structures, as well as good class properties in many cases, were threatened. Means of approach were lacking, with the result that long lies gt hose had to be leid, and usually the few lanes and paths that did give access to ihe burning and threatened properties were found to be obstructed by bamboo fences, red-wire entanglements or other barriers, which proved a further handicap. These factors and the generally unsatisfactory conditions made the task of confining the outbreaks a most difficult one, and on several occasions the physical endurance of the staff and the resources of the Brigade as regards equipment were severely taxed. It is considered fortunate, as least in the case of the most serious outbreaks, that we were able to bring them under control and prevent them from developing into conflagrations that would have resulted in the destruction of much better class property, important buildings, institutions, etc, with possibly the loss of many lives.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.