Mr Gus Chui, Secretary of Municipal Services
he have lost.
Mr Meacham is a member of the AAB and is paid $HK10,000 a month by the United Methodist Church (of the United States of America). Mr Meacham is affiliated with the University of Hongkong in the capacity of a Research As-
sociate in the Centre of Asian Studies.
He is, by training, an archaeologist.
When he withdrew his application fr Judicial Review, the High Court determined that he pay costs to the Government of Hongkong. It is thought that the sum to be paid by way of costs is about $HK100,000.
Mr Meacham had gathered round him a number of supporters and had a 'fight fund' amounting to about $HK100,000.
In addition, Mr Meacham also has to pay his own legal costs, amounting to about $HK50,000.
Mr Meacham was fighting a lost cause, it soon became apparent, and when he (Don Quixote) tilted at the windmills of Hongkong (the Government and The Lord Kadoorie and Swire Properties Ltd), the blades of the Establishment threw him into the air, dehorsing him forever.
Mr Meacham was not alone in his quest for the Hongkong 'holy grail' since a number of other AAB mem- bers joined with him in his fight, a fight to try to save the Synagogue.
Aside from a number of Board members, few other people in Hongkong appeared to care too much about the plight of an old temple, erected to the glorification of God,
even a Jewish one.
Even the 600-member Jewish contingent of Hongkong didn't seem much concerned about the Synagogue. Its most prominent member, apart from the Lord Kadoorie, is the Financial Secretary, the Honourable Piers Jacobs, O.B.E., J.P. He too said the building should come down.
But there were a few religious observant in the Colony who cared. One was Mr Karel Weiss who is said to have cried publicly when he heard of the fate of the Synagogue.
Another late Jewish member of the Hongkong commu- nity is said to have personally visited the home of the Chief Jew of Hongkong, The Lord Kadoorie, and begged him on his knees to save the Synagogue.
It is not known what The Lord Kadoorie said to this devout gentlemen, but suffice it to say that the Synagogue is coming down.
The other members of the AAB who came out publicly in favour of preservation of the Synagogue were: 1. Mr Chung Wah Nan, an architect
2. Dr David Faure, an historian 3. Dr Janet Scott, an anthropologist 4. Mrs Sally Rodwell, an archaeologist 5. Dr David Workman, a geologist
6. The Reverend Carl Smith, an historian
7. Mr David Russell, an architect
So upset were these 7 people that they lodged an appeal to the Legislative Council, requesting that due consideration be given to preserve the Synagogue.
Four of the members lodged a complaint with the Office of the Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (OMELCO).
The complaint was lodged on December 4, 1987.
The essence of the complaint to OMELCO was three-
fold:
1. There had been collusion between the Authority (the Secretary for Municipal Services, Mr A.K.Chui (Gus)) and the Trustees of the Synagogue;
2. The AAB had been manipulated during the consul-
tation process by the Authority; and,
3. There had been misrepresentation of certain facts
pertaining to the Synagogue.
What Caused the Acrimony?
On October 22, 1987, 8 AAB members wrote to Mr Gus Chui, Secretary for Municipal Services, stating that they had had an informal meeting and, as a result of this meeting, it had been decided to request him not to lift the declaration of Ohel Leah Synagogue.
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