1959-02-28 — Page 8

LAW-BREAKING

DRIVERS:

AN INGENIOUS

PLAN THAT

WILL CAUSE

INDIGNATION

I HAVE just been examining a plan which will certainly

cause indignation among motorists,

school bus

or crossing, It is a new, buld approach to a notorig ELUDmoisen and unnecessary slow driving, going applaud it.

the wrong way up one-way The

closely plan

motorists streets, following too rates behaviour on a points systero, another car, and improper pass- belleve It should be tried ing (on the wrong side) of a over here to bring greater samity fram or trolleybus. and safely to our fast-choking, true-bound roads.

11 is aimed at abolishing the biggest danger to motorists and pedestrians the inconsiderato driver, the fellow who behaves thoughtlessly.

These rules cover about the whole gamut of careless or wil tully bad driving, and the Idea should be welcomed by British motorials.

When a motorist knows

he

The frightening toll of 209,707 people killed and injured on will be marked up for faults on an accumulative points system ronds in Britain last year would which will eventually take away drop steeply, I believe, if we his leence, you can be sure were to fall in line with the that he will pause to think and traffic experts of Toronto,

The plan started, recently, behave less like necumulating

It

consists of

n driver's faults on record.

minor Drivers who commit offences in Ontarig now receive letters telling then how many points they have lost,

12

Criminal negligence costs points; other offences may mean two points Inst.

When a driver's score reaches wurning alx. points he gets a Jotter.

Ai nlng points he can on probation, suspended driving or Instructed

driving test.

kliot.

n thoughtiess

A doubt

The scheme is so important That British authorities Traffic experts are watching it closely,

But a Ministry of Transport man in Berkeley Square House sald to me recently: 'We doubt If the plan could be adopted

Toronto be pul universally in Britain.

from has 100,000 molorbis. Britain to take has more than 8,000,000.

At 12 points his licence is automatically suspended for three months.

Speeding

"The paper work for national scheme

would

Д

HONGKONG

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28. 15

THIRD MAN IN

a

ORSON WELLES, the broody genius, relives famed role in new territory.

..Hongkong.

where

the talents of Harry Lime (you remember the long- on the lingering theme

zither?) could find full scope. Hongkong, 1959, is a collision of two worlds....borderline British Colony and

of

a

China. It has an open port,

magnet for many dubious

manipulations, where

con-

traband is apt to be colourful. In. this setting, Welles is starring in a new Rank film, "Ferry to Hongkong." Such a situation must not go unrecorded. So the fantastic (but factual) events in Hongkong of late are now written for the China Mail....by DAVID LEWIN:-

PART ONE: CRIME IS INSCRUTABLE

IT is midnight on the ferry to Hongkong. As the ship threads its way past the dark clusters of junks, Orson Welles and I stand on deck and listen to a woman's voice on the loudspeaker. It is prim and persistent, like a Girl Gulde mistress.

It says: "You are informed on entering Hongkong that if you ....

in your luggage GOLD, carry with you either on your person or SILVER, OPIUM, MORPHINE, HEROIN, CIGARETTES, TOBACCO, GUNS OR MEDICINES, TOILET PREPARATIONS, LIQUOR, AMMUNITION you must produce them to the Revenue Officers of the Commerce and Industry Department, who are on duty at the wharf at which this ship docks."

anything

A new. Harry

better

I

'Snakes'

1

So then I knew that anything And is possible in Hongkong. I'm no longer surprised to sec

HONGKONG

The familiar bulk of Orson W

He merely buys and sella simply erme along, cut it. and Before we can say

Is repeated round the world by telephone. took it off and obviously cold it the announcement

electric by the same tape-recorded voice His lawyers look after the detail somewhere."

I checked with the the words cigarettes and toilet and the money is just waiting

light company and they sald more for him wherever he goes. preparations getting no

that's right. sadly: "Yes.. the Hungarian "There is emphasis than heroin or guns.

Orson Welles explodes into a know in New York who quietly Someone did steal our cable!" laugh. This," he says, "is the puts out a printed Black Market new Third Man territory. This Guide to countries in the world short supply. bes whore Harry Lime would where goods are

says. 'Nothing illegal," he certainly have come when busi-

just leghimate ways of avoiding astronomical. It could be ness grow thin in Vienna."

the Customs." unfair to motorists too, for

"But in Hongkong it is all the elegant French Simone Jur-

gens the ex-model wife of forms and white surgical pads thelo- bigger and

than that Curt Jurgens walking around over their mouths in authori- in some areas the

*** Anyone can make money, in a mink-lined macintosh ・・・ terests of hygiène. especially here providing you or Me Jurgens in his Chinese-

They speak not a word al- lies are alert, in others lax.

are not an actor." And Orson made cashmere sult with Hitle though they patrol alongside Weiles explodes into a laugh slits up the side of the trousers one another. "Strictly no frat Penalty points are

"But In provincial centres

...or Orson Welles splendi- here," sald the police superin- only

when 21 motoristic

mandarin-style tendent who I have plenty of opportunity ferous

my guide. convicted in a traffic court. The re Bath or Gloucester, where

what he dressing-gown... or the art That's what makes this the Toronto police cannot they have populations of under a feasible

of China to see just exactly

went director of the Alm, John Stall, strangest frontier In the world, The other night arbitrarily deduct penalty-100,000, It might be

and in Hongkong and Portuguese to a dinner party given by a burning joss sticks in his hotel I suppose. We never talk to

you cannot iniss the local millionaire, Mr Run Run bedroom and burning prayers activities of the new-style 1959 Shaw, who

Aims and in the Buddhist style, dropping the chaps on the other side." Third Men... there are dozens

"What happens if you Owned cinemas. We ate, 14 the ash of the paper on which of them everywhere.

courses, from shark's On soup they are printed into a glass of any problems or any messages Feasible proposition, my, foot. The others are drunk in commend the Ministry in "OE course," says Orson at the beginning to almond water and then drinking it--just to relay?" I asked.

lu make sure the Alm goes well. charge,

while Berkeley Square House to study Wolles, "Harry, Lime has gone driving

December's wicked road toll. In us in the world now and would

people werTO and that month 000

have a sulte ni good-class ability a Impaired,

killed and 7,080 seriously

hotel here and make business a injured,

appointments through a secre- getting

tha 131ry rather than wait in

points.

Throu offentes

point deduction,

debited

proposition.

besides

12-

Essential

criminal negligence rate a

cheating by

Heence by

tion.

The road figures were

Orson Welles, the star of the film "The Third Man" and the original Harry Lime (remein- ber?), was in Hongkong mak ing a new British flim "Ferry to Hongkong" with Curi Jurgens and Sylvia Syms.

Around the const

Macoo

Д

misrepresenta per cent more than in Decem-cold by the bomb rubble.

ber 1957, although the Ministry, attempting to do a bit of white- washing, estimated that during fast

"He would still be making from smuggling money:

Com-

..from dealing from trafficked in

the same period traffte increased illegal immigrants from on main roads by 15 per cent. munist China While people are being killed in dopo... and injured, and it could gold."

Nine points are registered for filing stop at the scene of an accident, and a driver gels five points for careless driving or excessive speeding.

However, exceeding a speed casily be you

measure,

or me whatever the

any paper

timit by more than 10 but less work involved, must be tried. than: 30 miles an hout means)

three points. Fuling to yield a I salute ho pare Hebt of wax-of failing to s

ૉ stop sign or report on thinking people of Toronto

st necidenti plno means a

point deduction,

Less serious offences cost two

Wide open

18 a

again.

m/cans,

makes

રા in

I am. Itsed now to the business of smuggling illegal Immigrants from China Into Hongkong and snakes" calling them "human" (Junk salings nightly; regular fore anything from £10 to £30 o head; luggage in advance and if a British patrol ship nabe a junk-food guaranteed free

*

passage later on,

'No frat'

It is all part of the Third Man style. So is the American police request to the Hongkong

a talle și dom help them. And...

The

Lame WidTM Tis pumped into the West Coast of America 270lb. of heroin in the CURT JURGENS-GOT up FOR. SINISTER OFTlshi youts aut raked

nearly £700,000 from its sale.

bout requesting

Hongkong -today free wide opena amcik pemprompt ... and, DS Our ferry boat docks after its four-hour cross- ing frem Macao, Orson Welles. "AND T"CAM EFT NG înjuperable stante on attkasay Coming

ting in blue suit, open-neck

hip-length, irled in coat, with two cigars in the top failed.. and without pocket.

points: These includo exceed- reason why their experiment shirt (although it is midnight) soup at the end, in candle light, (What would the prla volco

ing the speed limit by 10 miles

an hour as less, inconsiderate or should not Jmproper passing, falling to

share the road, thoughtless and Britain. now wrong turns to

left, falling to signal, and

the right

fall- correct

further delay.___

driving

ing to drive in the

traffic lane.

Two points

Ho for

the wrong side or on the

อีก

centre

of the roud where

is prohibited, failing to stop for

be

Basil Cardew

should have sent it by Pan American

waterproof because blue

that?) for the absence of light-the

had on the ferry the electricity Mr Run Run Shaw apologised Ho tells me about the mani- pulators he has known in his power was cut for most of the

Island, that night. Ume. "There is the While Russian in Rome. He makes a furtume... on the phone. He has no office, no files, he writes rcal no letters, and he has 10 home,

Black-out

The next day I met Orson, Welles, and he told me he had been doing some investigation of that black-out

that heroin bo declared say to

With all this going on. I de

China cided the frontier with ought to be a fairly exciting stretch of country. It is a zone barred to visitors with Beau Geste forts on strategic hills, and the only place in the world a boraman whore Britain has

with A Communist frontice country and the Union Jack flies opposite the Red Flag.

Anywhere else in the world a

I went up with special per- light fallure would be caused

Armest police by a breakdown at the trans- mission in ca mitter or overloading the cir- truck. At the railway crossing cuit or something technical to the Hongkong Chinese police in Metropolitan blue uniforms that,

"Not here," sala Oreon. "The (aml white sleeves), stood side lights went out because some by Bido with Communist one had stolen the cable. Just Chinese guards in brown

BRICK BRADFORD

·MY J36.JA

YOU GET ON THE PHONEL ARRANGE

FIND DR. EASTLAND PAST TRAN OF COURSE, I WANT BOMB TEST G

TO GO ALONG WITH

YOU WHEN DO

WE START T

| TO THE PACIFIC

HAVE

אדד

[ETE »

THE TIME-TOP IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN TRAGE DR. BASTLAND HIS RECOI KIRE INDICATE NOT

was

have

"breaks now shadows in Asia.

"Then we go, to the Chinese the line. They stopped on the Travel Bureau in town, and ask British side of the bridge and I them to pass the word along."--watched as the crates were un- said the superfritendent, "We loaded. always deal with the Chinese Travel Agency...."

Human ferry

We drove along to the road frontier point at Man Kam To, which is a bridge just a few yards wide.

Then a coolic on a tricycle pedalled over the bridge from. China and started loading the three-wheeler. sluil Into his Ho irundied over the bridge and on to another put the crates lorry on the other ride. There was a team of coolies of tri- cycles.

Lorries with goods being, ex-

from ported to China

Brilain "International coolles we call were coming up on our side of them" said the bolice ofcor. "They just backwards and forwards over the lino Laking the goods from one set of lorries to another."

ON THE WATERFRONT~SYLVIA SYMS AND ONLOOKERS

By Paul Norrla

SHORT TUR LATER BRICK AND CASHY - MECALL ART CIN FUARIE HAY TO THE PHOOPICS:

HOW LONG WILL, IT- | CODLY ENDUR TAKEL LIE TO OSTBACK]

YOU STARTED BATTYR CATCH A NAP YOU MAY NOT HAVE

A CHANCE BATE

He must have seen my books, because he added:

"I suppose

it does seem odd-but I did tell you this was an odd frontier."

"At the railway station we have international coolies to curry people's baggage from one train

dis- lo another. To tinguish them their chaps wear blue lints and our chaps wear red, I suppose that's odd too."

+

Unsearched

I rolled into the Customs shed. And there was a notics ......dosimavellera pridos, then to be

declaro cigarettes, serated water,

patent medicine,

.Bung *And

and

"How about the guns and the gold and, the dope?" I said. thinking of the ship's announce- ment. "Nothing like that here," I was told. "No one muggles that sort of thing from China."

So I drove back into the Third Man city of Hongkong" and then I remembered.. "Des- bits that lurid anbouncement on the forry boat no one even glanced at the bags of Mr Welles or myself.

Maybe

wo just don't look sinister enough.

MONDAY:

Wellas goos a-shooting:

CHEAP LUXURY 1

1957 Metropolitan: Convertible Licence No. XX3849 Fitted Radio,

hite Walls, etc.

Only: $6,500,000

AETRO CARS (HK) LTD.