The Correspondent, September 1991 by The Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong

The Swire GrouP

COVER STORY

8 THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS'

CLUB North Block, 2 Lower Albert Road, Hong Kong. Telephone: 521 15l I Fax: 868 4092 Presidenl - Pet€r Seidlilz

AVIATION PIONEBR DIES Vernon Ram pays tribute to Allan Lonsdale 'Pat' Patterson who died last month at his home in California. Pat, a long standing member of the Club, was the man who introduced Jean Harlow to Howard Hughes.

POACHER TURNS GAMEKEEPER

Former Financial Times correspondent, John Elliott, says good-bye to 21 years to join the Hong Kong Government.

First Vice President - Steve Vines Second Vice President - r,lVendy Hughes

Corr€spondent Member Governors Jonathan Friedland, Humphrey Hawksley, Gillian Tucker, Claudia Rossel, Malin Howeìì, Bob Davis. Cather¡ne Ong,, Hari Bedi, Mary Ellen Fullam Journalist Member Governors David Thurston, Stuan Wolfendale Associâte Member Governors Roger Thomas, F. C. H. ìly'adsworth, Peter Humble,

Mike Smilh Professional Committee: Cottvenor : Steve Vines, Menthers: Peter Seidl¡tz, Hæi Bedi, Srua¡t 'ûy'olfendale, Wendy Hughes, Humphrey Hawksley, Catherine Ong, Paul Bayfield

Membership Committee: Martin Howell, D¿vid Thurston F&B Committee: Convenor: Mike Smilh Menhet s: Stuart Wolfendale, Gillian Tucker, F. r'Vadsworth, Richard Rund, Paul Bayfield, Lynn Grebstad, Mike Cakebread Entertainment Comm¡ttee:

CLUB TO UNDERGO REFURBISHMENT Marion Bourke talks to the team behind the Club's renovations.

SELLING THE CITY OF LONDON Sir Alexander Graham, Lord Mayor of the City of London, on one of the \ /orld's most influential financial capitals.

11 OBITUARY: Marjorie

Monks

14.15 PHOTO ESSAY Twenty Years Ago Today by Bob Davis

lrene O'Shea

Video Committee: M¡ke Smi¡h, Cill¡m Tucker Publ¡cations Comm¡ttee: Convenor : David Thurston, Menbers: F. \rvadswolh, Hari Bedi, Peter Humble, Bob Davis, Martin Howell, Wendy Hughes, Frmcine Brevetti Wall Committee: Bob Davis, David Thurston

THE CORRESPONDENT Editor: Karl Wilson Advertising Manâger: lngrid Gregory EDITORIAL OFFICE: AsiaPacifi c Directories Ltd, 9/F, Grmd View Commercial Centre, 29-3 t Sugar Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Telephone: 577 9331: Fax: 890'1287

Drive a golf ball. Drive a jet ski. Catch the volley. Catch

the wind. Cathay

Pacific's

Hong Kong Super City. Touch down. And take off.

@ The Conespondent

Opinions expressed by writes are not necessæily those of the Fore¡gn

'CATHAYPACIFNC Arrive in better

shaPe.

Cartoonist, french-horne player, extroveÍ and raconter, Napier Dunn, says good-bye to Honkers. Simon Twiston Davis interviewed him for some

paÍing

shots.

Conespondents' Club. The Conespondent is published monthly for md on behalf of The Foreign Conespondents' Club by: AsiaPacifi c Dir€ctor¡es Ltd. 9Æ, Grand View Commercial Centre, 29-3 I Sugar Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel: 577 9331: Fax: 890 7287

Publisher: Vonnie Bishop Managing Director: Mike Bisha¡a

16.19 PEOPLE

Printed by Willy Printing Co., l3l Denick lnd. Bldg.,49 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., H.K. Tel: 554 7482

REGULARS LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT HACKER'S ZOO . F&B REPORT . . WOLFENDALE AT LARGE

2 5

23 24

Cover photograph by Ray Cranbourne THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTE,MBER

I99I I

LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

NEWS

Poacher turns gamekeeper

Board to seek ways to improve Club's earnings o, there's notbeen a coup, Peter

Seidlitz remains in office but has taken off for a well eamed holiday, leaving myself holding the fort. The theory was that Peter would be away during the 'quiet' month of August. Well, thanks to the unhelpful precedent set by Saddam Hussein last year,

August can no longer be regarded

sions about changes are made. There will inevitably be a certain amount of disruption while the work is underway. Please bear with us, it won't take long and we are confident we will end up with better facilities.

quiet. Indeed it can be argued that there has been a serious infringement of the inalienable rights of the press to have a

silly

season. Even

in Hong Kong

Elliott first arrived in Kong, four years ago, Hong hen John

Among other speakers we are hop-

ing to attract in the near future

are

Prime Minister Anand from Thailand; Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim from Malaysia and George Yeo, Minister of Arts and Information from Singapore. The food and beverage committee is working with extreme diligence on the

perennially tricky subject of menu improvements. The Veranda will soon

the

be relaunched as an Italian restaurant, headed by a chef from Italy whose

silly season is under serious threatthanks to the upcoming Legco elections. Two of our members, Emily Lau and John Miller, have even gone so far as to become combatants in the contest. However I am pleased to report that another member, from the legal fraternity, is helping to contribute to the sum of human happiness by his participation in the case of the allegedly black-

services were secured through what are described as 'diplomatic channels'. Meanwhile the newly installed complaints box provides a fruitful source of information on members' views about food and drink. There are unconfirmed rumours that one club member actually wished to make complimentary remarks about the vitals. While this is not actually against Club rules, I have to say

mailed Ms A, B, C, not forgetting Ms

D. As this is a family magazine I believe we should remain firmly on the

that

high moral ground of making no com-

Board.

ment on this case whatsoever. I should also stress that as an office holder in the FCC, I feel no frustration at my inability to read the scandalous reports contained in such August organs as the

Finally, but hardly of least importance, the club's able Treasurer Jon-

be dealt with at an appropriate level by the

athan Freidland and his deputy Cather-

ine Ong, are seeking ways of improving our earnings from the FCC's reserves. In the past we have pursued a

Oriental Daily.

Indeed with major developments occuring at the club it is hard to find time for such distractions. Number one on the list of developments is a major

John Miller

refurbishment for the premises. Like the Hong Kong Govemment, which has calledon the services ofclub member John Elliott, for the purposes of face lift, the FCC cannot rest on its laurels and allow the premises to fall into a

Meanwhile the Club is continuing to of the most interesting speakers around. By the time of publication we will have held an election

of disrepair. We are therefore dipping into the development fund to create better facilities for both members and staff. Members have had an opportunity to state

comment on the plans and the committee will ensure that all views are fully

taken into account when final deci-

it is highly irregular and will

attract some

roundtable discussion among the three

leading forces contesting the Legco elections. We had a full house for Sir Alexander Graham, the Lord Mayor of London who must have some affinity with

Hong Kong, coming as he does from a major financial centre replete with scandals and having been elected by an

extremely small elite electorate.

THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER 199I

highly conservative policy of only maintaining Hong Kong dollar bank deposits. The high rate of inflation

he made no secret of the fact that he didn't like the place. Having come from India, where he

was the Financ'ial ?"intes conespondent, Elliott saw the Hong Kong posting as something of a step down. But Elliott was quick to see Hong Kong for what it was - a frontier town with a diamond and gold lining where anything goes but don't get caught. He quickly became one of the Government's most vocal critics. Whether or not you agreed with everything Elliott wrote is immaterial; the F.T'. has influence, in Europe's business sector and in Hong Kong. During the airport fiasco a prominent researcher for a brokerage house here was heard to mutter: "If you were an investor in Europe and

with the left hand not knowing what

reading Elliott's stuff you wouldn't touch

the right is doing.

this place with a barge pole." Elliott also endeared himself with successive British Foreign Secretaries and ministers of state for Hong Kong. After one particular press conference with the Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd, Hurd ordered one of his

advisers to "Get me Elliott". Now after 2l years with one of the

world's most l'espected newspapers, the 5l-year-old Elliott has surprised many of his colleagues by joining the very organisation which has borne the

ensures that in so doing we are simply

brunt of much of his criticism

losing money. A new investment policy, to be carried out with the assistance of professional fund managers, will remain conservative in nature but is designed to ensure that our reserves stop being eaten away by inflation. Don't worry, there is no intention to get

Government. At the end of September he

the post as public affairs adviser, answerable to the Chief Secretary, Sir David Ford, on a three year consul-

involved with high risk speculation, norwill we be making deposits in banks favoured by gentlemen who trade in

alnongsl his colleagues. not to mention

white powdery substances.

Steve Yines,

First Vice President

took

the up

tancy basis.

The announcement of Elliott's appointment laised quite a few eye-brows the civil selvice, in particular the pubIic relations urandalins. It is no seclet the Government lacks good public lelations. It seems to stumble like a drunk. fiom one clisis to anothel'

John Elliott

Obviously the cynics have argued that Elliott has been bought off to keep

him quiet. Others argue that the appointment is a good one as he will inject new ideas and perhaps some enthusiasm into the Government's PR machine. While Elliott speaks of greater openness in Government he has been less than forlhcoming in regard to his own package. By hiring Elliott as a consultant he by-passes all civil service codes which means the Government does not have to release the terms and conditions of his contract or salary. Elliott says he willbe working closely

with Tony Miller, the Government's information co-ordinator, and the director of information services, Irene Yau, in formulating policy. His three year contract is said to be

'nice package'. Indeed, rumour has his salary ĂŹn excess of $100,000 per month. Elliott would never have left rhe Fincutt'ictl Tinrcs if the Government did not make it worth his while. Elliott says his main task will be to

work on long-term strategy for the government rather than the day-to-day matters.

"Basically, to do the sort of things that should have been done in the past," he said. "The Government has

to be more accountable for the decisions it makes and actions it takes." Elliott's new post, however, has created a great deal of anxiety among the senior information mandarins in Government who feel that their noses have been put out ofjoint. Elliott says the present system has "clearly not worked." "l intend to work closely with journalists who seek clear answers from Government. This is something which has been lacking. The Government has to have a clear vision as to what it is all about and where it is going. It also has convey to this to the people of Hong

Kong." But whatever his motives for joining government it willbe interesting to see

just how far the Elliott style will

tolerated on the other side of the fence.

Karl Wilson

THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

I99I

TNEV/S

ÞY ARTHUR HAct<ÊR

TH E ZCC

Club to undergo refurbishment aving reached that age where a little discreet cosmetic surgery is needed to patch up the wear and tear ofthe years, increase revenue-

earning capacity and correct certain previous design indiscretions, a design company has been called in to give the Club a fresh new look. It's not major surgery, more a little tuck here and a lift there, with the restaurant and health club receiving most of the attention. According to Club President Peter

Seidlitz: "Like a house or an apartment, a club needs renovations and redesign from time to time to make it more pleasing to the eye." He said: ".We have been in lce House Street for nine years now and we have just signed a lease for another six years.

special ambience ànd atmosphere of the FCC and are, in fact, making this a central aspect of the refurbishment. To that end they are getting a restoration

friend in England to send additional reference material on the period in question, "to try and make certain that when we do design the detailing of what we are putting in, it will have a little more character than a lot of the very bland 'hotely' stuffyou see. That's what we are trying to give the Club that edge." Whatthey're going for is an Edwardian look to tie in with the building's origin. For those who don't already know, it was constructed

1917 to house im-

considered, "again, relating

to traditional Edwardian forms of folding

screens" whibh means bevelled glass, mahogany surroundings and a fabric base. They are also attempting to de-

sign authentic'stackable' Edwardian chairs for the restaurant. Sounds unlikely? Apparently not. As well as furniture, the Lawsons are looking at the possibility of updating the graphics (for menus) and uniforms to complete the new look. The big push to get people to use the restaurant in the evenings includes plans to tum the Veranda into a Little Italy to be presided over by an Italian chef. Edwardian elegance and comfort on one side of the wall and good

doing something with that defunct parl of the restaurant

"For two years we have left capital commitments

approved by succes-sive Board's-untouched.

This amounts to $1,172 million authorised for expenditure but not yet spent, " The brief given by the keep the Club's - atmosphere and unique ambience but redesign certain areas such as the restaurant and health club to improve the look of the clear

company, Lawson & Co. It's the first major project for the duo since they set up on their own recently, both having

previously worked for major design companies here and in Britain. They will be wielding a sensitive knife, well aware that they face a highly voluable audience naturally given to vociferous crrtrques.

Mercifully, they are also in tune with both the building's age, history and the

4 THE

just inside the entrance

Boardto the architects was

and Joyce Lawson of the interior design

v U

(

old pasta peasantry on the other. There's also talk of

Now is the time to give the place a work over.

Club. Chief surgeons on the job are husband and wife team, Bill

( t{

another bar, perhaps! The lobby is to have a few changes, too. No major redesign, just a general upgrade; new carpet, "mottled English Axminister it has to be so that it will -wear", a new reception desk and adisplay cabinet for Club memorabilia on the opposite wall. Down in the bowels of the building, the health club will

Upstairs restaurant

pofed ice. The restaurant is to have a major face lift with softer lighting and colours making it more intimate. The restaurant's roof, say the Lawsons, "is wonderful, a beautiful high space, so rare in Hong Kong. We'll add lots of light along the trusses which will enhance the roof which you don't really see at the moment."

Diners will be illuminated by softer lighting also. To divide up theroom and rid it of the cavemous, refectory look that presently marks it, screens are being

CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER 199I

be totally redesigned and refitted. The Lawsons are working to a tight schedule and a deadline datefor the restaurant to be completed in October. With

lot of material

coming from Italy a country that vir- August plus the tually shuts down in fact that closing the Club to- carry out the work is obviously not an option, the pair will have their work cut out. But, they assure us, there will be no work carried out at lunchtime, so no sawdust in the sandwiches or drilling to echo the hangovers, thank God.

Marion Bourke

PUBLISHERS' PATCH"

Who's Who in Hong Kong Communications 1991 312-page book with four major categories: "Who's Who in Hong

Kong Communications" carries extended paid listings of l15 companies, providing 65 eategories of products & services. "Communications in the Hong Kong Context" includes 1 1 articles reviewing themes in advertising, public relations, publishing, desktop publishing equipment, and prinring. "Professional Support in Hong Kong" includes a miscellany of 10 different lists/key documents. "Quick Contact File" is a teÌephone finders' guide to about 4,400 companies in Hong Kong, divided into 36 categories List price: HK$215lUS$33 (incl postage). T¿ Order.'Miss Selina Nam

AmericanChamberofCommerce

GPOBox355,HongKong

PUBLISHERS SUPPORTING THE FCC

An Invitation to Space

Tel:526-0165 Fax:8101289

ø*

Th. rhe HKg2,ooo,ooo,ooo marker that everyone has ignored. For details call telephone no.

577

-9793.

TINIG FILIPINO CAN YOU AFFORD HK$ZO A DAY to enhance your company image among your publishing peers?

YOU CAN then call Ingrid Gregory on 577-9331 for further information. THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER 1991

TIIE INNER

Selling the City of London

CIRCLE The places to eat within staggering or shouting distance of the FCC PLE,{,SE PATRONISE THESE FCC SUPPORTERS

We've got noth¡ng more to say than ..GOOD FRENCH FOOD''

tfl

t¡)

loIN

uÆ

plained when he addressed the Club on

147-149 Gloucester Road, G/F, Wanchai. Tel: 838 3962 Free evening parking service. Sunday closed

FoR A voYAGE OF DISCOVERY Spices at Pacific Place is creating a series of special buffet dinners each month to explore the mysteries of Asian cuisine. Here the rare and extoic insredients of the Orient chilli and

,fr99 ,

4 WINE BAR tr RESTAURANT Harbour View open from 8:00 AM to Midnight futhange Square, Touter Il, 2/F., Hong Kong. Tel: 5237003

7c7t

underwriting."

l(ong

WÀL rND r ANCU ß rr{E tuføñ.arQø

222Wauirchai Road, G/F, Hong.Kong.

Tel: 5749838, 89t2302 Valet Pãrking-a[ter 6 p.m.

Møfr.ørøjø

August 13. Asked about the adverse publicity surrounding the enormous losses reported by Lloyds and its impact on London as a financial centre, Sir Alexander said: "If you analyse what has

? F\

happened'with these losses it tends to be concentrated in a handful of syndi- as cates which is down to incompetent

spices at Pacitic ylace, I ne M.zll-LG I , (rn€ PacrÌrc Plac€, ðõ (¿ueensway, ttong for reservation or further information, pl€ase telephone ts zt 8'45 4798.

l-34, Granville Circuit, G/F, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Ksng. Tal: 366667 1, 7 2333M SpeciaIists in Outdoor Catering.

uåx

The 500 million sterling loss recorded by Lloyds for its 1988 closed account has rocked the insurance industry and has placed a question mark over Lloyds. Sir Alexander said the losses "have

to be put in perspective". "The year before Lloyds made a profit in excess of 500 million sterling," he said. "And for 25 years before that, Lloyds had made a profit

every year." He admitted Lloyds was going through

a "rough patch ... but then again it's had a few in its 300 year history". At present

a working party is looking structure of Lloyds with the view of a possible reorganisation. But as Sir Alexander, a director of one of the biggest companies operating

at the

Think about it! F.C.C. members represent one of the highest earning, per-capita, consumer spending groups in Hong Kong.

x More US banks are represented in London than in New York. * In terms of international deposit and lending business, London is still the world's biggestbusiness centre with more international deposits done in London than New York and Tokyo and more than the European Community put together. * London's foreign exchange market has the largest turnover in the world with a daily turnoveç.of US$187 billion. * The Eurobond market, which was

of adverse criticism as its Lord Mayor, Sir Alexander Graham, ex-

French Restaurant

together.

G/f., Victoria

-- more than Paris and Frankfurt put

One of the world's most influential financial and business capitals, the City of London has not been without its

La Toison d'Or Centre, (Behind 'Citicorp.' Centre) l{ats0n Road, Causeway Bay East, llong Kong. Free Valet Parking nightly * Tel.: 566.5560 Fax.r 510'0016

* London has over500 foreign banks

he City of London may be one of the smallestcities in the world, just one square mile in size, but it is certainly not one ofthe poorest by any stretch of the imagination.

at Lloyds, pointed out:" It is not a question of whether you have limited liability or unlimited liability ... it is a question of whether the risk/reward

ratio is adequate. "If Lloyds lost unlimited liability it would not have a lot to offer because that is the basis on which it guarantees client's claims are paid. "If it had limited liability it may as

well be just another insurance com-

/NNER CIRCLE: HK$600 (Minimum 6 insertions) Colour ads: l14 page HK$1,584; U2 page HK$3,168; Full page HK$5'280.

pany.

Black & White : I I 4 pageHK$ 1,320; I 12 pageHK$2,640; Full page HK$4'400. Telephone: Ingrid Gregory 577 9331.

unlimited liability you are offering clients

"The point is that

if you trade with

started

Sir Alexander Graham something special because you are given the total backing of Lloyds and I doubt

very much whether Lloyds would run out of money to pay claims. "ln my view, if you are going to give clients something special you are entitled to an above average profit in a normal year. "The key issue is, within the global market place, can Lloyds get back to the situation where the Names (members of Lloyds) get a rew¿rd that reflects the liability they are carrying?" Sir Alexander said he was confident Lloyds would get through its current crisis. "I personally do not think the situation is all that bad," he said. "Lloyds is crucial to the future success of the City of London as the international insurance centre of the world." SirAlexander, who was visiting Hong Kong as part ol an Asian tour Lo promote the City of London, said that despite the emergence of the single Eulopean market in 1992, London was still the "natural gateway" to Europe. "A recent survey", he said, "showed London was still the preferred place for overseas companies to establish a European base". And as if to underline his claim that London was still one of the world's great financial and busi-

ness centres he gave the following impressive statistics :

in London in the '60s, is still

predominantly based in the City despite the attractions of other centres. The great majority of new issues are still made there as well as most of the secondary market trading. * The Exchanges of the European Community transacted some 160 billion sterling worlh of cross-border business last yeai of which Frankfurt ac-

counted for 7.5 billion sterling, Paris

2.5 billion sterling and London 147 mitlion sterling or 937o of the total market.

* Not only is nine-tenths of Europe's equity trading done in London but almost

two thirds of the world international equities trading takes place in the City -- four times more than in New York and seven times more than Tokyo.

Sir Alexander said that despite its established infrastructure and its reputation, the City of London cannot afford to become complacent. "New York and Tokyo have become formidable in their time zones and many European centres are clawing back business that has gone offshore," he said.

"One of our strengths has been the political and regulatory environment coupled with lntegrity and fairness. The City continues to function no matter what political party is in power, state of the economy or strength of sterling."

Karl Wilson

THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

I99I

t was clifïicult to pLrt all ¿ì-se olì

wives. Pat's private life, however, was not to be as spectacular as his aviation trccomplishments. His lirst marriage proclucecl a son he callecl Junior who tragically died not long afier birth fronr hemophilia, sonrethin-e Pat never got over. Even in the last years of Pat's life. he woulcl often look at the photograph of his son, so cluelly deniecl life. and openly cry. Fronr 192 | to 1921 , Pat lived in Los Angeles where he ran a flying school and gave fly ing displays at Dycer Field. He also taught many notables such as Williarn Randolph Hearst and Freddie Wong, who later cotnmancled the Canton

Allan Lonsc.lale "Pat" Pattel'sorl. the -erand old member ol the Forei-en Correspouclents' Club and aviation legeud who passecl away pe¿ìcefully on Au-enst 21 at his home iu Sau Diego. Calitbrnia. Oldtimels. and that woLrlcl include a vanishin-e lot clating back to the Club's folrndin-e days in Chun-ekin-e will rernenber Pat as the spruce ainnan with a

penchant fbr sartol iaI ele-sance toppecl

off by the obligatory bow-tie and the discreet smile of recognition reservecl for

a select

cotel'ie of his acquaintances

who would gather around hirn at one coilrer of the bar. Those who did not belong to Pat's inner circle, and the staff at the FCC, instinctively recognised his presence when the time came for hirn to settle the

bill. On each occasion,

Air Force, to fly. His only surviving child, Diana Lonsdale Gauthey, was born there.

OBITUARY

Pat ceretno-

niously whipped out a chop bearing his

name and membership number and stamped it on the chit, a wise precaution that ensured that credit was protected all round. It was also the hallmark of a man who had always been a stickler'for detail in a career that was part of aviation history and folklore for the better part of a century.

Allan Lonsdale 'Pat'Patterson 1900-L991

By Vernon Ram Pictures: Ray Cranbourne

Though 1900 was listed as the date of Pat's bir-th in Ottawa, Canada, the discharge cenificate from the Royal Flying Corps (later Royal

Air Force) at the

end of the World War I, that was proudly

framed in his souvenir filled Mid-Levels apartment, put the date at 1895. Give or take five years: the Patterson legend became burnished each time it

was told or took wing on new flights

of lancy. Anecdotes abound about the pioneer of the flying machine era, and the man who introduced Jean Harlow to Howard Hughes, leading to her debut castingin Hell's Angels and Pat's own bit part in that film in 1928. Pat counted among his friends Amelia Earhart who sent him a photograph shortly before she disappeared on July 2, 193-1, near Howland Island in the Pacific. His high-wing monoplane, Cruzair, designed in 192'7, was the prototype of

the Spirit of St Louis which Charles Lindberg piloted across the Atlantic to Paris to win instant, international fame, Raised by his grandfather in Ottawa,

8 THE

Pat, like many young men of his generation, was captivated by the strange new world of the flying machine.

Pat's first flight was in a V/right Pusher in 1914, thirteen years after Orville and Wilbur Wright made their historic first flight. From that moment on he was hooked for life. In I 9 1 6 he dropped out of a course in aeronautical engineering at the Massachussets Institute of Technology and enlisted intheRoyal FlyingCorps seeing

action in the Middle East and Italy. Discharged in December 1918 with the rank of captain, he retumed to the United States where from l9l9 to l92l he operated a flying circus as a barnstorrner, sold JN4D Jennies from an abandoned church, fl ew bootleg whisky from Canada to Chicago during prohibition, designed a steam powered aircraft, and was an active officer in the Aviation Club of Chicago. It was during this time that he married the first of what was to be seven

CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER I99I

Apaft frorn teaching people to fly and putting on flying displays, Pat also bought old combat aircraft with the view of selling them to fihn tnakers. He found one in Howard Hughes who had

wandered along to the alrfield one afternoon, bought three of Pat's aircraft and at the same time caught the eye of

a young blonde who sold tickets for

Pat's old home in Macdonnell Road was an aviation archive.

Pat's show.

After a brief introduction the girl dumped her motor cyc le cop boyfriend, left with Hughes and a screen legend was born. Her name -- Jean Harlow. Inexplicably, Pat left his family and business towards the end of 1927 and

trying to start an airline, shopped around for contacts and hardware, shipped out a training aircraft and moved to Shanghai, where he set up home and office in 1930.

For several years he trained pilots

went to New York where he stayed

and sold aircraft and spares. From

unril 1934. The 1920s was a boom time for the

Pat served as Far East representative

big names of the aircraft industry. They

included Donald Douglas, founder of

Douglas Aircraft (now McDonnell Douglas), Allen Loughead (founder of Lockheed) ànd Jack Northrop. They were making names for themselves as designers and builders of aircraft. By 1929, Pat was vice-president and sales manager of the General Aircraft Company of Buffalo, New York, which

sold a plane called the Aristocrat, powered by the first continental radial engine ever built. The engine went on to become famous, but Pat and his

company were wiped out by the Depression and bank crash of 1929. While weaker men would have been licking their wounds and moaning about

their lot, the Depression for Pat was the trigger for new adventure. As one door closed, another opened. Pat, hearing that General Chiang Kai-shek was

934,

the US Bureau of Air in the Department of Commerce, licensing pilots. He also sold DC2, DC3 and Sikorsky S38 aircraft to China, Indonesia and Thailand and served as president of China Airmotive Company. One of Pat's fondest memories of this period was Gen Chiang's 50th birthday. His contribution was to take

Boeing Stearman biplane and sky write an enorrnous birthday greeting. The catch was that the writing had to be in a complex Chinese character and it is a tribute to Pat's professionalism, that he accomplished the mission, even though

the aircraft stalled three times during the exercise. So successful was the mission, that the mile-wide birthday greeting in the sky stalled traffic for miles around as people stopped to read

rector ofEurasia (later Lufthansa) and Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers Squadron fame. Pat made Chennault's acquaintance during the Los Angeles air show in 1926. Captain Chennault was a US AirForce precision flyer. He came into the show with three airplanes and put on the finest exhibit.ion of pre-

When the US entered World War II, Pat shifted the company to New Ha-

cision flying. When the controversial Chennault resigned from the US Air

the US Navy.

dispute with General Henry Amold, Pat happened to be in America on a short visit from China. Madame Chiang Kai-shek, who was head of the Chinese Air Force, decided Force after

she needed an expert to come out for consultations. Pat suggested to Chennault that he come to China and that was how he was picked for the job, the start of one of the most thrilling chap-

ters

of modern military history.

Pat

counts among his accomplishments the honour of flying with Claire Chennault

over the Himalayan hump to relieve the wartime Chinese capital in Chungking.

1940, Pat founded the Allied

the message.

Engineering Corporation in New York, acting as the American agent for the

Associates of Pat's China days tn clude Herman Newman, technical di

combined China companies moving aviation equipment to the Far East.

miliradar and develop to tary contractors electronic items. At the same time, Pat became managing director of Bristol Aeronautical Corporation which dealt in special and highly secret projects for ven, Connecticut, where it helped

One of the company's specialities was in warping wood to the special shapes demanded by aircraft wind profiles, the beginning of the design and construction of wooden aircraft. That same technology steered Pat in the direction of a piano factory, helping craftsmen to bend and fix wood in the instrument. Some of the wood-work technology developed by Pat's company was used to build the famous de Havilland Mosquito bomber in England. It was the same technology that

went into the building of Howard Hughes's Spruce Goose, the giant, allwood flying boat which made one successful flight and is now preserved as a museum piece. At the end of \i/orld War II, Pat made an attempt at returning to Shanghai, but conditions were far from encouraging. Equally, attempts to modify surplus

THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

I99I

military aircraft for civilian use

He told Westlake that one of the

ap-

peared doomed from the start.

Pat began travelling extensively to develop business contacts in his field. He worked with the US Air Force for a while as an outside contractor on technical research. In 1960, Pat established Airservices Company Ltd in Hong Kong to continue the operations he had pioneered, selling equipment and aircraft to many Asian countries.

Inl9'75, he sold his controlling interest in the company, which continued operating as Hawker de ËIavilland (HK) Ñ Ltd, and became a consultant to vari$ ous .s Towards the end of 1989 Pat, following medical advice, and the woman to whom hç was married the longest, Tyne Pat and his wife Tyne at a Club Sau Wah, moved to San Diego. In letreception shortly before he left for ters to the Club, Pat often asked after the United States two years ago old friends and said how much he missed

manufacturers.

$ *

the "old place" Ironically Pat never wrote a book

Above: World War I Royal Flying Corps. Top Right: The Los Angeles air show in 1926. Right: The Macdonnell Road study. Bottom: Pat in Shanghai after skywriting the birthday greeting for General Chiang Kai-Shek in 1937.

abouthis extraordinary life. Asked once by Michaet Westlake of the Far Eastern Economic Review why he hadn't, Pat said: "I just don't have the time and besides I have to make a living."

At the time when he was living in Macdonnell Road, Pat had over 10,000

Pat never stopped working. Two days before his death, Pat wanted to get back to the office to get some work done. He once exchanged a series of letters

which is irreplacable. Pat tumed the

with an old friend and another early aviation pioneer, Karl Ort, about who started flying first. His words to Karl were indicative of Pat's spirit and life. "So, you see Karl, we are both living on borrowed time, so what... HaPPY Landings." And Happy Landings to You Pat. Pat's wife can he contacted at the following address : 4700 Williamburg Lane I95,In Mesa, California,9204l ,

offer down.

USA.

lbs offiles, pictures and other bits and pieces stored at the back of his apartment. The US Air Force historical section once offered to loan Pat two men to come and sort out the material, much of

Marjorie Monks arjorie Monks, who traced

long and happy association withtheFCCtothedays when A Many SpendouredThing was filmed at the Conduit Rd club, died in Sydney in July. In the early 50s, Marjorie was based in Hong Kong while Australian husband Noel was a war correspondent in Korea for the Daily Mail,London. In 1951 Club President, Monty

Reuters stepped in as "Daddy" to carry the Monks's second daughter, Teresa, from Queen Mary Hospital when she ill-timed her bith to coincide with the Battle of the Imogen

Parrott

River.

The late Richard Hughes formed a lifelong friendship with Marjorie in Tokyo when Christmas 1951 made the mistake of falling on the day the first Victoria Cross of the Korean War was taking awarded on the battlefield care of Noel's Christmas leave. Club President the late Eddie Tseng and his

10 THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER 199I

pictures he had was of himself and a group of people with President Harding at the White House. "I could only remember one member of the group and' wrote to him asking if he remembered why we were there and who the others were," Pat said. His reply led to more letters and the result was a file one inch thick -- all for one picture. Pat said: "Imagine having to go through that process for all the other stuff as well." Indeed, right up until the very end,

wife Betty, were frequent visitors to the Monks in England after Noel was re-

called to London. Noel died there in 1960 and Marjorie emigrated to his homeland, Australia,

with their

three

daughters. From 1978 toJanu-

ary this year, Marjorie came to Hong Kong regularly to visit daughter Sarah (ex-South China Morning Post ), Dick and Annie Hughes, Kit and Kevin Sinclair, the Tsengs, Clare Hollingworth, Charlie Smith, Edie Lederer (AP), Father Archie Bryson, 1979 Club presi-

dent Victoria Wakefield (UPI) and countless others round the FCC bar...

A 1985 reunion in the Richard Hughes room of the Hong Kong Hilton. Marjorie Monks (standing), with Club members Sarah Monks, Charlie Smith, Kevin Sinclair, Eddie Tseng and Ronnie Ling.

"Absent friends". THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

I99I II

Huadong Tsingtao's award winning Rieelirrg and Chardonnay wines &re norr

PHOTO ESSAY

Twenty Years Ago Today wenty years ago a young Australian photographer by the name of Bob Davis arrived in Hong Kong on assignment for The Sundqy Tirres special features. He spent nine months on that first trip recording his impressions in black and white. Many of the photographs have never been published or exhibited until recently. What Bob photographed, 20 years ago, has great relevance today as shown by the images on these pages. Hong Kong has undergone great changes and they are reflected in his photographs. Last month Bob's images of Hong Kong were exhibited in a unique exhibition in the street of Lan Kwai Fong. For old timers the exhibition evoked nostalgia for a past which seemed more sedate and less complicated. For newcomers it showed just how much Hong Kong has changed in the past twenty years. Melboume born, Davis began his professional career at the Department of Film Production in Hoban, Tasmania. In the mid-sixties he moved to Sydney where he established a successful advertising and commercial studio. In 1970 he decided to travel to Britain via Singapore. The following year he was diverted to Hong Kong which has been home now for more than decade. In 1978 he published a collection of black and white images of Japan simply called Faces of Japan . In 1980 he established Hong Kong's first stock photoagency The Stock House, which has one of the most comprehensive selections of intemational stock photography in Asia.

Rickshaws

Post box Hollywood Road

The Cricket Club now Chater Garden T4 THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER I99I

Shing Hing Street Central

Letter writer, Kennedy Town THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER 1991

PEOPLE

Working his way back home toria harbour Napier Dunn

wasn't ENTIRELY sure whether he was to paint the ship

He stayed there until three years ago

and a few months into the early blood-letting days of the Murdoch regime. Since then he has been freelancing, travelling and quietly planning his return home to South Africa.

itself or just the entire crew.

'Either one won't make that much difference,' said Dunn just before boarding the massive container vessel that was to lake him home to Durban, South Africa.

But Dunn was not supposed to become a dab hand with brushes and paint. If Dunn had not been a rebellious sort of fellow he should have

'The important thing is that I'll be working my passage to South Africa and it won't be costing me an arm and a leg.' And with that he was

living in Hong ¡ Kong as a stalwart of the Hong i fong philharmonic. S Bom in Corsham near Bath in been making his

gone.

That, we suspect, is the way that Dunn, cafioonist, musician, sportsman, raconteur and frequent-faceat-the-bar on Ice House St. has often made his inevitable farewells: with a jaunty wave and a quicksilver smile and determined stride into the future. Dunn has worked his passage a few

times before including a trip from Yokohama lo San Francisco. This time, said Dunn, he if FAIRLY sure he will not be returning to Hong Kong, but 'you should never say good-

bye forever. Never close the door completely.' While the broad-backed former ar-tist-in-residence af the South China Morning Post has agreed to take a job with the Natal Mercury in Durban, it is only on a trial basis at his own request.

Napier Dunn

'What if I don't like them on the paper? What, quite possibly, if they don't like me? No, I don't like to have things set in stone. So we will see how things go. Napier Dunn first came to Hong Kong

in search of a job in 1983, 'escaping' from Alaska where he had been working as an illustrator for the Anchorage Times. 'But it wasn't best job in the world,' he said. 'I eventually found I could make more money working as a caricaturist in shopping malls than I could at the paper.'

theSCMP where he showed a few sketches to the

then editor,

RobinHutcheon. 'But although he

liked the pictures, as ever, there was little moneyinthePost

editorial budget for someone like me.'

In the event it tookanothertwo years, and a side trip around the 1991

drink in the down time, I practised my

coat'-

the Dunn was once a Butlin's 'Redhe found himself work with the

Doyly- Carte Opera company playing Gilbert and Sullivan scores and later with the Sadlers Wells orchestra playing for the ballet company. Finally, he hit what many might think was the 'big time' by getting a job as a french-hom player with the London Philharmonic and stayed for two years. But all the while he was practising the sketchwork that would bring him a second lucrative career. Brass players have plenty of time to themselves in symphony orchestras because a lot of

sketching.'

After a 14 month stay Australia, in l972Dunn was on his way to JaPan to join the Tokyo Philharmonic when he was told he could get more work in Japan teaching English than playing music.

It must have been the beginning of the end of Dunn's musical career. In Tokyo he did, indeed, spend more time away from his french-horn than with it and finally giving up altogether, and working as an illustrator with the

told what to play, how to play it and when to play it by people who didn't knot what they were doing.' Finally, Napier Dunn swept up in Hong Kong, leaving his mark here as elsewhere. And now he is taking his 'portable' skills back to his homeland. 'I have done most things I have wanted

to in Hong Kong and its time for

anyway it's too expensive to - here and that's what I want to play golf change

do.'

Mainichi Daily News . ' Really the constant discipline of music is very tiring. And I was sick of being

Simon Twiston Davies

¡ England 52 years ago, Dunn's father was a distinguished symphony !3 conductor who took young Napier

One of his first stops here was at

16 THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

pieces don't require them. 'Some people

saw.'

After a tough few months in

world, before Dunn was given a work space desk at the Post in 1985.

ven as he sailed out of Vic-

some nasty ones of the boss, which he

to Durban at

the age of six months. Even though there were long periods Dunn was sent away to of separation - at the age of four it boarding school was almost inevitable that the youngster would take up music as a career.

And he did, eventually becoming a french-hom player with the London Philharmonic orchestra before the pleas-

ure of formal music-making withered and finally died.

By the time he was 18 he was with the Durban Civic Orchestra under - a few the severe baton ofhis dad and - Grenadier years later he had joined the Guards, as a musician, in London. 'I liked the way musicians in the Guards only worked

half day at-Buck-

ingham Palace and could go home after the changing of the guard. I could then go the Royal College of Music and continue my studies. It was a very nice

life.' With some letters after his name and a

few pounds in his pocket he returned

to South Africa for a job playing the french-horn with the South African Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC) house orchestra. However, it wasn't long before Dunn had problems with the conductor, and he moved back to England after three years. 'That time with the SABC was the time I really took up sketching and did

"Tç/lI>T> ÞO Á?HNIINá

Or 1W

mrfllrqrÍ{E çvlv!' THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

I99I

PEOPLE

Flag presented to NY Press Club

HelloSailoro.o

AN AMERICAN flag made by a US of war in North Korea has

been framed for permanent display in the Overseas Press Club (OPC) in New York City. The flag was presented to

The USS 'Nimitz'battle group sailed into Hong Kong in August on its way back from the Persian Gulf and F.C.C. member Fred Fredericks can be held responsible for a mini-invasion of the

Forrest (Woody) Edwards in January, eight days before his death

made a tactical error

prisoner

Officer, respectively, ofthe USS 'Chancellorsville'; and Commander Tom La Turno, Executive Officer of one of the

two

Fl4

squadrons on the 'Nimitz'

Club by the US Navy. He

the clubby

atàgel6. Edwards, who was president of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Hong Kong in 196l and again in 1910-71, was an AP correspondent for nearly 40 years. The flag was given to Edwards during the 1953 prisonel repatriation at Panmunjom after the

Korean truce was signed. The young soldier who made the flag and whose name Woody had forgotten shoved the flag into Edward's hands, saying, "I don't need it anymore." Delivered to the OPC at its annual meeting on June 2l , ¡he flag is shown outside the OPC

Commanding Officer and Executive

by H.L. Steyenson (left), OPC president, and Al Kaff, also a former presi-

dent

of the FCC, Hong Kong. "An

uncle of one of my Cornell colleagues

Monks ties the knot

brought a similar flag back from a North Korean POW camp and presented it to the National Archives in Washington,"

Kaff

reported.

in inviting FCC members Ken and Margaret Bryan and Penny Byrne to a champagne cocktail party at the American Club to meet the officers of the eight ships in the group on the first evening of their visit. Three officers were subsequently invited back to 'zoo night' for a drink and dinner: Captain Gordon

(and the poor chap who ran the Shore Patrol for five days-Hugh Van Es gave him special dispensation to cany his porlable phone in the Club). Given the arrangement for FCC members at the China Fleet Club, officers of visiting naval vessels are eligible for temporary membership. Gordon and Neal subsequently vowed to put

in an appearance at the main bar every night of their stay which they duly did, contributing significantly to the Club's

F&B revenue. ¡

On the USS Chancellorsville: (L to R) Captain Gordon Rheinstrom; Lan-Ying Coats; Marilyn Hood; Lieutenant Commander Neal Anduze; Margaret Bryan.

f¡t

Rheinstrom and Lieutenant Commander Neal Anduze,

the notorious Costello's, she met exiled Califomian and Asia hand Tom Masterson. Three years later they married under a full moon in June over Hawaii. Monks has since carried this photo of the cer-

No, we are not proposing to go naturist. We just wish to make it clear that fK's is a restaurant with a friendly and casual ambience

tificate to prove it.

Hence, smart casual clothes are the order of the day. No need to put on the top hat, do up the bow tie or brush up the tails.

Ittsagirl ...

best dressed salad A¡d

all our dishes æe meticulousþ prepæed

our famous

master chef, Walter Gloor. (Try his cnb salad, you will not taste better.)Plus, of cowse, you can feast yow-eyes

the finest panoramic views Hong Kong hæ to offer.

why not take a trip up to JK s? A restaurant that does not expect you to dress up.

Absent member Sarah Monks has returned to Hong Kong after more than four years in London and New York to take up a new post as deputy senior manager for the Hong Kong

Trade Development Council. While drinking with New York friends of FCC members in James Thurber's old bar, T8 THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER I99I

Congratulations to Ann Quon, deputy editor of the

Sunday Morning Post, and Peter Cordingley, editor of the Sunday Posf's Magazine, on the birth of their daughter Sasha-Anais on August 4. Picture shows Pascal Cordingley (left) Ann, baby and Peter.

SE"RVING HONG KONG SINCE

I928

THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER 1991

VIETNAM: TIGER AWAKENS THE l99l

E,/'.R.ISßER.E

The

l99l HK Press CIub-FCC

conference for executives who are already in Vietnam and those who are seriously considering entäring.

17-lB September l99l The Hong Kong Convôntion & Exhibition Centre Hong Kong

Pool (8 Bail) Chailenge

Get the facts!

ALL ROUNDS EXCEPT THE FINAL START AT 6 PM SHARP I

Preliminary Rounds

Friday, October 1g Press Club and FCC (See draw for individual match venue) Best of 3 frames Round Robin, four groups of four

Venue li

NO. OF FRAMES

FORMAT o

oaao

Outstanding Speaker panel Top Policy Makers Mr' Le Mai' vietnam's vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. A leader in negotiations, he has been involved in those for the normalisation orvietnam-uS relations, china after the lglg war and the Cambodian talks.

QUARTER.FINALS VENUE NO. OF FRAMES FORMAT o

SEMI.FINALS VENUE NO. OF FRAMES

Friday, October 25 FCC Best of 5 frames Knockout

Madame Ngo Ba Thanh, Chair of the Legislative committee of the National Assembly. A leading member of women's groups ur¿ii..-ctrair of the puir,".iu,J ¡ronr of viernam. Nguyen Xuan Nguyen, chief Executive and Director of External Relations of lqvestip. Previously with Petrovietnam, he is very active in partnership with foreign investors.

Conference

oao Friday, November 2 Press Club Best of 7 frames

VENUE NO. OF FRAMES

... And Leading practitioners

Jerome cohen, partner, paul, weiss, Rifkind, wharton

& Garrison, New york, and pioneer in

.ror,nn.inïå""ti,ulìliäf

aoo FINAL

Chairman o Barry wain, editor, The Asian wall street Journal

Theron, 3o years, "ä',îff.';r#-iïri?riMinhciry hands_on iï VìLrn^,n ^ ? _Jacques - David o wood, negotiator & économic analyst,"^på.i"n"" vi"tna."r" mineral projects o Jean Marc Bonnamy, country ¿ii""io., UNmó, Hunoi o Ken_Atkinson, pioneer, financing proj."t, in Vi"tna_ o Annick Hemsin, Tilleke & Gibbins õ""r,iriÀ"tr i.ta.]îungr.ot o Chrisrophel B1ur9n,_foreign aurhority, pro¡ecf m";"ñ;;, ---' vietnam o paul

Friday, November 2 Press Club Best of 9 frames

Time of the Finar wil depend on when the semi-Finars end

NorE:

Tournament rules will apply. A copy is posted at each venue. PRTZES: a poor cue and a carron of carlsberg for rhe E::l"o:l:3:*yred Grand winner plus a variety of orher prizes for rhe

;;ffiäi"i]

Clerc_Renaud, Fargô r,iun"o_pu.iî"

O Tim Dobson, pártner, international law firm,Deacons David Shih, D'Elegant Holdings Ltd., and rnternatiånat-óiuu, ¡tanoi O The Association for Business Co_Operation Mekong, Moscow

FOR REGISTRATION

AND INFORMATION

n^rF\

CALL

i8RåT."*o

(8s2) s49-s618 Fax: (852) 559-2461

Sponsor:

THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL.

Organiser:

tãI¡,

Institute for Inetern¿tional

20 THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER I99I THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER IggI 2I

F & B REPORT

Food is an important part of a balanced diet

KONGå#Ë'å lHrHcNG

op up to the top-floor restaurant one evening and observe: wall-to-wall space. No need to book a table' And attentive service is assured since the waiters often outnumber the diners.

Earlier this year the FCC's F+B survey showed that members, by and large, are happy with just about everything the Club has to offer... except the food upstairs. Specifically' around three quarters held the opinion that the range, quality and quantity were poor-to-average, at best.

I_I

Write-in comments showed that members thought the menu was heading off course. Upmarket, 'weird' dishes were replacing popular ones for no apparent good reason' What members asked was to get back to good simple club fare -- fresh, well-cooked, un-

ACKERS

complicated and substantial. TheFCC F+B committee was

WANCI-JAI PRINT

set up

new printed menus, ParticularlY for the main upstairs restaurant' Periodic changes to these menus will be made, with new dishes and recipes, but onlY when these are already proven successes in

A fine print in elegant curlicule style by the creator of Lap Sap Chung and desrgner of the penultimate Hong Kong definitive stamPS. The print which measures 15" x 20" comes in an envelope with a strong cardboard backing for safe

\9BB

1958

:ñG

rl¡s

Wanchai, Hong Kong. Cheques payable to Arthur Hacker Ltd

Oate

t'l's-

Delivery Address:

^,olÉÀ

Signature

Please send

Send this form with your cheque to Arthur Hacker Ltd., 4th Floo( Fleming Road, Wanchar, Hong Kong.

rr"t*

¡G

ORDER FORM

No ol copres HK$300

ity.

The success of a menu item

Arthur Hacker Ltd., 4th Floor, Fleming Road,

Telephone

the chef's weekly offerings. In other words, the F+B committee intends to exert control over

the club's printed menus and with this control, accountabil-

postage. Beautifully printed in a limited edition of 500 numbered copies signed by the artist' it is available unframed for HK$300 post free from:

to do just that. Their

mission was simply to helP select good dishes and develoP

each

was to review these with the food pros on our committee -

those who manage commercial local restaurants -- to

check that the menu was balanced, and made sense (eg too

many of the appetizers originallY The plan is for the n€w menus mented from October l. On that restaurant reopens for Italian cuisine, prepared by FCC President Peter Seidlitz' friend and master chef, Gabrielle Di Luca. He will present his own Italían cuisine after reviewing what's good in the local markets. On October I then, three of the eight 'action plans' promised in the earlier FCC survey -- check kitchen, rethink menu and reopen Veranda -- will be underway. Another which is being planned now is sPrucing up the upstairs decor with better lighting, fumishings and colour. Yet two more were imPle-

F+B Committee

mented by Heinz earlier - namelY setting up no-smoking areas uPstairs, and putting draft ale on tap downstairs in addition to the

Mike Smith (convener)

two lagers. The John Smith's

Stuart Wolfendale

Gill Tucker Fred'Wadsworth Paul Bayfield (coopted) Richard Rund (coopted) Lyn Grebstad (coopted)

ale is proving to be a hit. Six down and two to go. The

remaining two action Programmes will be tackled bY the F+B committee over the next few weeks. We'll set uP a wine panel to review the FCC's wine

offerings, to see

something

can be done to imProve matters.

Also we'll look into creative

ways to attract members to dine depends on several factors - is at the Club more often, via naMike Cakebread(coopted) the recipe good, are the ingredifood promos, guest chefs, tional ents available and economical, evenings and the like. theme can the cooks do it consistentlY ideas along these lines Your well? The ultimate test of food new F+B committee the that Be assured welcome. be would a series of arranged committee F+B is in the eating, so the 'tastings' over the past few weeks in order to help put reviews THE BOX regularly, so put your comments there whenever you have an inspiration' Also, once the new togethèr a good menu. With the support of the Club's chef menus are in place, please be active with your comments. Alan Chan we tasted appetizers, soups, desserts and other Thât way they'll improve as time goes by, dishes. (eg Mark the week of October 1 on your calendar to sample The items tasted were selected from the current menu 'rejuvenated' FCC restaurants. There will be some pro(eg the lemon there rockfish soup), old favourites no longer activities to encourage members to retum and try ginger motional hot Pudm More of that later. food. new tough the it was a ... di to do it. jo od, the next step Mike Smith

THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER

I99I

n---11-..7

Ll--r-¡s

trljc

WOLFENDALE AT LARGE

An act of Croatian

THERE'S ALWAYS

style separatism t was in the first week of August that I passed through Hong Kong hoping to snuggle between the warmhallucinatingpowers oftheBell's bottle and the John Smith's tap making random pin-sticking choices from the menu and sealed, except for compulsory outings, from the pompous clamminess of Central. Instead, I found fellow Board mem-

bers throwing around mid-morning screw drivers like demented carpenters. Bar surfaces were running with architects plans and minds' eyes brimming with falling walls and rising pillars. The Club was to be renovated and nowhere would Speer have felt more at

home. (I am solry, Mr President, that was quite unintentional. I am akeady under treatment for that kind of analogy) Starting at the bottom, in the Health Club, where people are sweated and Þken to further and further pain thresholds, Peter Seidlitz has taken a strong personal interest in an interesting redesign. The Pool Room remains untouched,

largely for political reasons. The last thing the Club wants in a year that is going very well in so many ways is an act of Croatian style separatism. The Video Club may go, after that frighr fully impolite realist Mike Smith told us it had been losing money all the time

we had been telling ourselves

it was a

little earner. Overall, lighting in the Club is to be improved. I would like to have that disco stuff which tums your shirts fluorescent and makes your face look like an excessively handsome Pakistani super

squash player but I am told that it is not

much good for eating, reading and generally finding your way out of the roorn. One new feature of the Club, where reading will definitely have to be possible, will be the Lounge/Reading Room, situated in that Main Bar seating area where people alternately read papers, watch the video screen, interview job candidates and go puce

waiting for members who have invited them to the Club and then forgotten about it. It is meant to be somewhere people can read and drink wine, although I have found that, after a bit ofthe latter, those two part company. Anotherpiece of news which was making the gimlets

HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL sultancy excludes the need to actually go the office. If my terms and conditions had done the same, they would have me still. One thing it would be apity for John Elliott to fall fogl of is the Bert Okuley Stool, occupied by Bert by that strate-

gic window overlooking the road junction. Bert mans the post with an aÍna-

describe it that way advisedly since the service speaks a language quite unknown to the rest of working man. As colleagues twittered on around

civil servants can be caught in the bottleneck going to the office until the failing light when they are still returning from lunch. One member who has never found any trouble in going to the office and probably needs a wall naming after him is Bob Davies who took to the

I could secretly think was "Jammy devil!" A job like that keeps you another couple ofyears further from the rain and urine puddles of London and the interesting thing about government at that level is that it doesn't cavil about money. Certainly, a creature in a burgundy, sleeve-

less pullover and Brylcreemed hair parling, unused to daylight, will occassionally nose its head around Elliott's door and say "I'm sorry, sir but your claim for taxi fare includes, I suspect a dollar tip. Not allowed I'm afraid, sir" (It happened to me over 50 cents). On

the other hand government chucks around sixty thousand a month plus, plus, plus packages like a man with four arms certain in the knowledge that he is dealing with taxpayers money not his own. Before "Outraged, Pokfulam" takes over completely, let us remember that government also pays on the dot, a feature almost entirely unknown to freelance journalism. What I do not envy is Elliott's new

environment, beyond the cosy chats with David Ford. He will have to move amongst that gravy stained issue furniture and girl clerks more dedicated to the window sill pot plants than the

filing. Amongst grown men, he will never have seen so pronounced a need to go to the lavatory. And in the early afternoon corridors, there will be the rising stale stench from

hundred empty

lite from mid morning when

senior

streets while I was there. This was very thoughtless of him because it meant that I had to leave the air conditioning and wander Lan Kwai Fong looking like a recently rescued man overboard. I have always enjoyed Bob's snaps and his have always been better than mine somehow, though I have been making strides recently with my newly

reconditioned Kodak Brownie 127. What I had never considered doing with mine was sticking them up on street walls. It seems to pose all sorts

artistic questions, not the least being obscenities from felt tip pens. Nevertheless he had a very successful street party of the sort normally reserved for coronations and jubilees with a very catholic guest list which included large

numbers of policemen. Bob made a wide ranging speech which obviously licked along far too fast for the slower witted and thanked his mother. Knocking the spots off any essays in self-promotion I ever tried, he got his curriculum vitae erected in the form of a triumphal arch. For the rest of the time, Seidlitz had me drafting letters and attending heel-

clicking practice.

Stuart lVolfendale

The Hong Kong lrode Development Council con help you moke business heodlines evel/ doy of the yeor As

o moior force in world trode you'll find we've olwoys got o good story to tell: no podding, no puff ond bocked by occurote, upìoJhe-moment figures ond stotistics, Next time you rece¡ve one of our press releoses, give it o good once-over, You'll soon see whot we meon, 0r contoct us if you need detoils on ony ospect of Hong Kong trode,

Viclorio Tel: (82) Iel:

(ì

13.MiomiJohnBrogo Tel:(l)305-577-04ì4.MllonGiovonnoConi lel:891028óS40S.NogoyoOtozumiEsoli tet:10ì;OSZbÍt-3ó2ó.NewyorkLouisEpstein Li N4o

Lom Tel: (8ó) 2 l 32ó-41 9ó, 32ó-5935 . $ngopore Andy Lim Tel: (ó5J 293-797 7 . Stockholm tvlorio petersson-òoádow ¡et: (4ó) 0B ì 00ó77, I ì 5ó90 . Sydnei

I ó04 ó85 378ó . Vlenno Johonnes Neumonn Tel: (43)

533

981 8

. Zurich JA Furrer

Tel:

(4 I

)

383 2950

Hong Kong Trade Development Council We Creote Opportunities

24 THE CORRESPONDENT SEPTEMBER I99I

THE

barf boxes. Unless of course the con-

giddy in the hands of Board members that moming was the translation of John Elliott to the quasi-civil service. I

the ethics of the move all

A STORYAT

A TOUCHING SIGHT

THE OPTACON II ALLOWS THE BLIND .TO ENJOY THE PRINTED WORD. CANON DOESN,T JUST MAKE CAMERAS

AND ELECTRONIC EOUIPMENT. IT ALSO HELPS TO MAKE THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS A LITTLE RICHER.

FOR MANY REASONS, THE MAJORITY OF THE WRITTEN WORD CANNOT BE TRANSLATED INTO BRAILLE. THE BEAUTY oF THE oPTAcoN II IS THAT IT CAN READ ANYTHING _ EVEN MUSIC SCORES _ AND IT WILL WORK IN ANY LANGUAGE.

IT USES A SMALL CAMERA TO

SCAN

PRINTED MATTER AND THEN CONVERTS

THE IMAGES INTO VIBRATIONS WHICH CAN BE SENSED BYTHE FINGERTIP. THE OPTACON ALREADY HELPS THOU-

SANDS OF BLﾃ君D PEOPLE LEAD MORE INDEPENDENT LIVES. IT IS CONSTANTLY BEING IMPROVED AND MANY ACCESSORIES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO INCREASE ITS USEFULNESS. FOR EXAMPLE, A MAGNIFIER LENS OPTION ALLOWS THE USER TO READ PRINT AS SMALL AS 4-PoINT TYPE ( I .sMM) AND A COMPUTER INTERFACE BRINGS THE POWER OF DATA PROCESSING TO THE USER.

Canoil

CANON HONGKONG TRADING CO. LTD. l0/F,, Minor Tower, ﾃｳl Mody Rood, Tsimshqisui Eqst, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Telephone No: 739 0802 Telex: 3004ﾃｳ CHK HX Focsimile: 369 7701

CANON,S COMMITMENT TO THE BLIND 15 SERIOUS AND LONG-TERM. ﾃｬTS ENGINEERS SPEND ENDLESS HOURS DEVELOPING NEW AIDS, USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE UNSIGHTED TO PtAY A MORE USEFUL ROLE IN SOCIETY. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST

ONE COMPANY WANTS TO SPREAD LITTLE LIGHT IN THIS WORLD?