ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY HONG KONG BRANCH PRESIDENT'S REPORT FOR 1996-97 PRESENTED AT THE 37th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 25 MARCH 1997
It is my pleasure to report on the activities of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society from 30 March 1996 to 25 March 1997. During the year, David Gilkes served as President for the first seven months and I acted for the remaining five months.
The first thing I must report is about the years of service and the retirement of David Gilkes. David arrived in Hong Kong in January 1967, in what has euphemistically been dubbed the "Year of the Disturbances." There was a vacancy on the Council for a Treasurer. Young David volunteered. Someone wrote, somewhere:
Many will be shocked to find
When the day of judgement nears,
That there is a special place in heaven
Set aside for volunteers.
Anon.
David filled the post of Honorary Treasurer right up until 1987, the same year he was elevated to Vice-President. He took over as President from Dr James Hayes in 1990, and stepped down at a Council meeting followed by a Branch dinner held in his honour on 28 October 1996. Approaching 30 years of service as an office bearer is a memorable achievement. During this period the Territory changed rapidly. The increased tempo affected our Society. Activities increased. No doubt when David Gilkes was awarded the MBE in 1994 by Her Majesty the Queen, his sterling service in the Royal Asiatic Society and his other community work carried substantial weight. We are extremely grateful to David for all he did, over a period of almost three decades, for our Branch.
Past President James Hayes said, in a newspaper interview in 1996: "The Royal Asiatic Society is the joy of my life." He returns to Hong Kong at intervals. We were pleased to welcome Ian Diamond, a past