1959-12-26 — Page 10

ALL OVER HONGKONG

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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1959.

·REPORTER DUNLEAVY SHARES A DAY WITH ONE OF HONGKONG'S LITTLE-KNOWN CITIZENS.

TONG Sai-ma

an average Chinese farmer.

almost every

plot of land to eke out an existence.

What kind of a life does this man lead?

To answer this question, a Chinese-speaking photo-

grapher and I lived with Wong for one day.

This is a story of a dap in the life of a farmer in the New Territorica.

THE Chinese farmer yawned wearily and peered

OUR HALF-ACRE FARMER

pein

By

Steve Dunleavy

«China Mail Reporter-

picked

up twe water to folh him. Being o

uninitiated carriers and hurried outside,

westerner,

far an conges

His 12-month-old sop Tak- and i didn't hit it off too well. ku, apparently the privileged But for Wong and his family? member of the household. The way they wolted it down it snuggled a little closer under could have been caviar. the thin sleeping cover as we settled our silention on him.

Wong grinned proudly as we started to discuss his son. He crosang the room, picked him his son's up and displayed healthy physique.

He said through the photo- grapher that in two years' time Takk-ku would be able to help in the fields.

Light work

"Light work," he conceded, "but I will be good for him to get the feel of the land at an early age."

Tak-ku. naturally, will be a farmer as his forefathers in the Chu Chow district have been for many generations,

Wong still clutching his son proudly led us to the fow door- way of the shanty.

I asked him whether he was happy and he grinned broadly. to his wife and daughter water, ing the vegetables and knocked on the side of his "home."

into the grey dawn. He threw off his bede nodded at his son, pointed covers, slowly pulled himself to his feet and trudged into the chilly early morning.

It was 6 am, and another day had started for 38-year-old Wong Sai-ma. He looked at the sky and decided that the day was going to be good. He then returned to his small hut and woke his wife.

has had enough food wife and children, and now he a part-time has even secured

his in- colle job to build up

over $100 to a little come a month.

Ever since he can remember, almost every day or his life has started in much the same way, He has never tried to change it, and it was obvious that

his righ: to guards icalously

love his way of life.

he

I looked at the lean mor as

he pottered around his

10 by

eight shanty, He glanced in

a time-blackened old pot and

studled the left-overs of family's last meal.

Amused

Amusement rippled

hls lined

face as he wince at the sight

dried-up Ash.

with G

his

för his

During this Ume his wife and half-awake children had been suspiciously. She eyeing us murmured a guarded question across to her husband,

Wong turned around, return ed a few explanatory words, She smiled and didn't say an- ether word for the next hour.

Breakfast OVET.

full stomach and back to the land

I gathered that Wong was very pleased to think that ha to hat had enough food entertain guests for a day. For the next four and a half hours until lunch at 2 pm.

Wong worked hard by European elandards be Was working at slave pace,

But for all he cared he could have been on the Riviera. Ho planted for an hour or so, then he hoed the ground and for a lime he ploughed a section of the stamp-sized farin. He

me the offered

plough caveman-like instma- heavy ment,

I kept it up for about two minutes...that was enough. He laughed, look back the plough and happily worked with it for the next hour as if it was madio b balsa wood.

Source

Two o'clock in the afternoon and It was lunch bowl of square inches of last night's ath.

He didn't say anything but it was obvious that he had all he rice and about two

He grinned again.... life was good,

wanted.

How much land did he own? "Ralf an acre," came the quick reply. What was his goal and am- bition in life?

to.

"Someday, maybe, I will have one acre."

Rope

He carefully returned his won bed and told the photo- grapher that he would have to help his wife.

After that, the family had to combine to twine some rope.

From their short exchange across

saw me

of half o

smile,

wothy Rasking with the odd peck of gold, Wong shrugged and fold the photographer that times were good.

there was

He went out to his half acre no mistaking who and worked side by side with wore the pants in the family, his wife and daughter, For He had spoken and I could not Wong life was good, help but feel that no what he had told her she would have rcocived it with the same philosophic grin.

matter

down to As Wong squalted He said in rapid Cantonese answer our questions, his wife that for the last few months he and 10-year-old daughter, Shu-

AWAY FROM THE SIN CITIES_IT'S UNDERFED, UNDERPAID, OVERWORKED

The other side of

Florida

sunny

WILL

all those British people who accepted food parcels, tins of pork, hum, and chicken, chocolate, and several hundred thousand pairs of nylon stockings during the austerity era please return their worth either in money or kind to the South?

Not the rich South of Miami, hasibur, but It Fort Lauderdale. Palm Beach, nothing. but the poor South right here

in Central Florida.

are

(WD

of the

ITKC":

"I

was

At 9 am operation breakfast hut was under way and the hummed with Ectivity.

He then rolled a cigarette and watched his wife wash his

be a sun, which appeared to never-ending source of amuse- tnent for. Wong

Apart from the environ- inant the

tcene could have been anyrolere in the world.

Mother wathing baby. daughter helping mother, baby crying and father sitting back smoking, very amused at the whole scene.

+

back

Another cigarette and to the half acre. It was now

cinc more than eight hours

Wong started lus day. He returned to work with a fresh ness and

vigour as if he had just got up.

His afternoon's programme consisted of planting, weeding and digging a new garbag up. Before dinner at 6 pm he and his wife watered the crops again.

Most of the afternoon was almost complete

Within a short ume congee was served. We were his guests and naturally, we would have spent

"We can learn a lot from the here." And there's no mixing, American driver if not from the or very little, American racing driver or motor

Poor whites

I TOLD him the

Wong having lunch with his family. "Times are good,” he says.

allence. An odd comment here and back to work and there

AL & pm the family again, gathered for the meal and rice and pork was served,

the He

moke repeated routine after his meal, and then Tope. sat down to twine some By this time his wife had lost some of her shyness and asked us a few questions.

Flow many bowls of rice do we eat? Have we got a car of our own? How big a house do we live i237

Content

Histened 10 the Wong questions and answers with in- posalbly little difference, amused to hear his wife asking questions obviously he was not used to hearing them....

غلط

The children were in bed and Wong sat contentedly twining the turmoning rope occasional aid from his wife,

It was getting near bed time. "Must sleep to be strong," Wong commented,

Nine o'clock, and he was ready to-end his day, but as we rounded on the interview Wong wanted to know if we were de finitely not from the Govern- ment.

Just in caso we were, he made us prornise,

"You won't take my land of me will your” We promised. . . .

DON IDDON'S DIARY

DATELING

NEW YORK

AND MIAMI

• Another good knurk. From your meiker should do the

theho

call it that, is no good.

It's a

We talked about Sebring for Everyone I've talked

the

the

to

manufacturer, I intend to tell The poor whites resent the them so when I get bacir home. interest and the outery abroad Funny that this State, which is about segregation, and say so a while. very poor in parts, can support plainly. They niso resent the to, except the promoters them- that Sebring is these good minor roads and the Bat of money poured into selver, gree

Europe by the United States. Just about the worst place super highways and pathways."

Now that much of Europe, and America could have picked as especially Britain, blooms with major race track and the altu prosperity they would like some for the Grand Prix. of the money or goods back.

Sebring is populated by

and In the rostpurant, incor- god, ilving on pensions

not the slightest answer was gruous in the bright sunlight, savings anki

was a Christmas tree with the bit interested in motor racing. is better than 1 heavy tolly wounting to as

"Merry Christress. much as £1 for

It is out of the way, hard 300 for 300 greeting miles, and he said he doubted Came again, soon." Nearby was British whether the British would stand another sign "No swearing. No get to, and a long distance from

valvar language. We reserve the big population centres. A member

the poor the right to refuse servion." - motor-racing eontingent who for tolls. But about There

Floridas was there told

didn't South, and specifically poor fabu- probably more. One le the gold think Florida

There was 'n big jukebox and like this, Florida, as distinct from

lous Florida, which, everyone, coast, the ellies of splendid sin, Where are the honkytonks? I

a picture of Christ over it. The includi myself, has written food was atrocious. I tried to dazzling with pleasure palaces thought we'd have ourselves about so much, 12-hour working eat meatable steak and sweet

affects American- days are not uncamanan.

delier an hour, no sick pay, no potatoes and my friend tried

southern fried chicken.

The the

·reburn Lons-Lease and holidays, and no notion of dis- manager came over and the bundles for America campaign missal, fow untors.

English car expert sald unidade; should be for Sebring.

I'm beginning 10 I'm not talking about the "You know, negro I'm talking about the think American food is song I drove along the dead straight ... secondary road across Central WE wore driving past shack poor white, the Florida cracker, the world's worst it's not

commanities and shoddy the rod Decks who are often so patch on British.” Florida, akirting the spreading swamp land and Lake Okeecho. Bew bungalows and the poverty impoverished that their resent- bee, The country is forlom, few was palpable. The only thing ment aweils against the coloured restaurante, cinemas, no tard that impressed the motoring ex- in violence and the strictest was an ex-alcoholle, turned out Beach liquor bars, only garish package pert was the discipline and skill form of segregation, stores and occasional beer pan of the car drivera.. lours. The Baptists grip, these counties and have inflicted

for the dollar-heavy

tourists, bali,' (Ho

Shoddy

The other, which I have been sms.) sbeing since I lott Sebring, after seeing the recent race, is over- worked, underpaid, 111-fed, and ill-housed.

form: of, Prohibition on it.

One

The pinch

E first contributions from the newly uplent British in

We might ecd then a couple aaf Cooper Climaces and drivers well. I was glad to get out of the pour saw belly South and The manager, who told us he swing towards Mound and Palm Elven mi is feeling

to be a philosopher. “Somer the pinch and South Beach and thing's gone wrong in Amerios Back Beach are catering for the

couple I talked to a waitress. In in the last year or so. We area's modest « inconse Induntown nind asked: "How's first no more. There's the Ciendly, the retired old folic, sexi A He sold: MZ the American the segregation problem here?! Russian rocker)---you saw we lost odd jobs,

driver can be disciplined like she said: "We don't have no another Titan at the Caps the this, then # Kn

the British segregation bere. We just keeps, other / day, We've -- Lost the ....... The bár pultices like the Fon Actually (the package stope driver, though He going to the niggers on the other side heavyweight championship to a tinobled the Eden Row the where you buy whisky, gin, ruma take time. I haven't son my of town They have their life Swede, and louc at the Seating Rency Plaza sull Jourish at - in andarine creates excessive and one going more than a few miles and we have ours,

we took et Bebring, which you. datadi prions) but Miami- is mak- Kumlive drinking in hotel, and over the 00-mph. lixaft and no

gontleeners, stag trods wine, 10 The Ing a pitch for the mARION” SANË

but the!

motel bedrooms. This ia' not ono, overtaking at DOTTIES grecious living or civilised be cutting in.

“A lot of them do better than young people won't prock, › The never mlad, fou molch us do. We want no: mixing ochaostiound system, if you · ME GAPING

"Let's run through it again, gian, only this time

watch the crazy beau“

Look Like

something pretty