1961-05-24 — Page 10

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CHINA MAIL

Established 1845

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1961.

JUDGE FOR YOURSELF

Bill Holden replies to review of 'Report On Hongkong'

or

The following are extracts of a letter written by actor Bill Holden to George Ho of the Hongkong Commercial Broadcasting Co. Ltd., on the review by China Mail critic Authony Füller of the documentary "Report On Hongkong."

I was naturally disappointed in the review because of my basic interest in Hongkong. The following are some of my reactions which I should like to state to you if you've had a chance to see the film,

rats The camera did not, as statedi |

by Fuller, "swoop" down on squalid shacks. It went instead, and with nothing so indecorous As a Woop. to Mr Turner's breakfast table.

Our friend Mr Anthony Ful)- After all, there are more

the in Hongtong than people. attended obviously

Fuller sthies that we filmed screening of "Report on Hong-

from his kong" with a rigid preconception the refuger moving

11 victim's sizack

the of what a report should contain. Are Finding something else. he has Government

housing block denigrated it with distortion "where, as the camera had it, and astonishing errors in fact, he exchanged shunty squalor le states early in his review for brick squalor."

that "mostly the camera oil- This is a remarkable example lated betwren Mr. Turner's home of ab emotional response. and the refugee shock, or Mr Whatever the camera had, it Kan's home and The refugee had because what was there was there. It was real. It was shack."

Apparently e M11:4 to fact. The refugee family u1- show that rather heavy-handed sidered I great improvement efforts at damaging contrast was over

their previous elreum» our purpose. Whatever his pur- stances. We vald, "For the Incur Young family the wheel of life pose, his description

The film dis not shift had turned," after showing less rect, back and forth.

on the sidewalk in o card-

Largest entity

I began with the fargest entity in Hongkong, the 10- fagees. It then went to The British who govern the Colony and who give it economic ad ministration.

Mr Mubel Turner was logical and authoritative spokes man for the economic growth of Hongkong, and whatever con- trast there was between his way of life and the refugee way of life was unavoidable and

FIO

more an editorial stunt than ir one were to do a film on New Yurk and show David Rockefell- er's home after visting a fat

in Harlem.

fortunate people s19 steeping board box. These, too, were facts and not exceptions.

'Brick squalor'

Another error in Fuller's oc- count was to quote the narra- lon as saying "Mr Turner is driving his M.G. himself, leav bik the Rolls-Royce for his wife." In point of fact the nar- rator sald, "On warm days Turner drives to wurk In his M.G., top down, leaving the Rolls for his wife,"

Apparently Fuller Interpreted

This was Anthony Fuller's report

The following review appeared on Monday, March 27,

By ANTHONY FULLER

William Holden

this simple description of fact On Friday evening, at the that Mr Holden, by omitting as a political side-swipe.

He

targets that Americans are very car-conscious and that the Holls-Royce (several years old, by the way) was quite visible In the background and not to kdentify it would be an irritat- ing oversight so for un a great American viewers many concerneti.

was

Foreign

account Correspondents' an

of the utilities Hongkong, Club,

mention in a preceding para- screened the 16mm Tole- pression of this Colony.

graph, has given a false In-

vision film, "Report On Such a conclusion would be Hongkong," with a com- most unjust, for what greater mentary by William Hol-appreciation of Hongkong could Mr Holden give than he has The Culong itself has officiat-

den, stør of the film, already given? He is our most ly shown its housing efforts to

"The World of Suzio constant visitor. He has made the world and it was ut the

Wong."

And he has in suggestion of the Government's chief press ofBeer that we Alm-

The original object of tin vested capital in Hongkong's ed the housing block! H Mr. Fuller thinks the Government's would probably have shown

A parallel scenes in Americam was to give the multi- prosperity." efforts are producing "brick uniformed chauffeur and what squalor" he ought to take It kind of an uminous stant would objective up with his Government, not with us.

he writes

In the middle of his polenic

"With the open ing shot of Mr Holden, he re- mints his audience that. Turner has helpæd

the re-

Colonialism is for most of us a Jugees in his way and Rocke- lirty word, and to prove his feller hus helped the Negro in

point, the camera swoops down his way. Neither of their cop- tributions is mitigated by their to the indescribable squalor of

standard of living

Man on top

a

that? Most D- is a difference

mililon TV audience of the United States of America an account of present Fuller see in

day life in Hongkong. chosen The method there between suredly

three aacleet the chairman of powertal bonk and

a refugee types of Hongkong's residents.

The persons selected were Mr from Red China.

Michael Turner, Chairman and

to V0S representative i

If we suggested that the man un top was enjoying his good Chlet Manager of the Hong- kong and Shanghai Banking fe by exploiting the man be- low unmercifully there would Corporation; Mr Kan, a wealthy be reason enough to berate us. Chinese lawyer; and an im-

such inter-pecuniaux refugee family. But we made "aclor

that ence. suggesting instead

the refugee shacks.” Fuller refer to the

The reference to Colonialism wan, In the first place, refugee," whch Inevitably con-

made veys an impression of dis- halfway through the thm. And honesty, and is a deliberate dis- not only has he misquoted, but tortion. Such a label by Fuller's he has taken the remark com- standards would have to be pletely out of context. The fact applied to anyone who witting- is that after showing how the

Aims here.

Bungalows for

drug cases

The camera, realising it had The economle health of the a realistic job of reporting to Four bungalows have been do, eschewed all the beauty Colony Into which refugees are able to immerse themselves, spots of Hongkong, save when

the upon Mr Holden and more importantly in which it fastened

help making his commentary from art able to they ly appeared in a documentary refugee family lives and works and freedom, is the vital point,gn

themselves with some dignity the upper balcony of the For- film. He describes

Correspondents' Club, "the actor the flim returned to the narra-

distant view of the refugee killing a rat in

with as much when a hts for who said, "Work in Hong- and we did so home,"

over was scen kong somehow always goes on photographic honesty as poss- Kowloon Hills

Rat incident

During

and the first reason is the Bri- fish. Now, Colonialism The refugee we followed was become a dirty word not sech killing a rat.

in our his move to the new housing the British are the people who time. BUT NOT HERE. Here block cameraman, using

have kept the shop upen', hand-heldi newsreek camera, managed to get a shot of a nine-

Another error year-old boy in the same neigh- bourhood killing a rat with his

narrative went on to ad- bare hands.

achievement of the as well mire the

British over the last century and to especially commend Bri- Laiti's caintenance

The

ble.

„A documentary

R

Mr Holden's shoulder.

Border station

built by prison fabour in Siu Lom Valley, a small wooded area in the Castle Peak District of the ΠΟΥ Torritorios, to accommodato cured drug addicts on thoir relcose from Toi Lam Prison.

The rettlement will be opcaed by Mrs C. J. Norman, wife of

Sheaffer's

Newest

BALL POINT. PEN

AVAILABLE AT ALLGOOD STORES.

35,000 living in three housing estates

From the Files

25

\years

AGO

May 1936

Some 35,000 people are living in about 5,500 flats in the Housing Authority's three existing estates -the North Point Estate at Java-road, the Sai Wan Chuen Estate in Kennedy Town and Herr received a

the So Uk Estate in Kowloon,

In addition, there are 10 shop tenants at North Point and 30

nt So Uk, according to the latest report issued Authority.

by the Jousing

{

When the current building programme is completed, three years' time, the Housing Authority's five estates-North Point, Sai Wan Chuen, Su Uk, Ma Tau Wel and Chol Hung→→ will have altogether 17,595 fläts for housing some 105,300 people,

ALSO SCHOOLS

These housing projects, in- volving a capitāl expenditure Rome $165,000,000 will also have schools, clinics, pogl offices, community centres. shopping facilities and other amenities.

Wanted

to eat

off

TTIS Excellency the Gov-

Telegram from the. Right Honourable, the Scorelary of State for the Colonies stating that Mr Norman Lockhart Smith, Secretary for Chinese Affairs, Hongkong, has been offered and has accepted at pointment as Colonial Secrc- tary, i succession to Sir Thomas Southern, KCD, CMG.

Govt A

N invention which may revolutionise the and Chinese printing publishing industry and A man who surrendered inork a tremendous forward himaclf to the police say stride in China's literary ing he wished to return development is rapidly some stolon articlos was taking form in the back shop remanded by Mr T. C. of Liñotype and Machinery Chan, at North Kowloon Ltd., 160 Avenue Edward Magistracy this morning VII, says the China Press of for one wook pending a Shanghai. mental report.

ever

The report states that all the lots of the North Point Estate and at Sai Wan Chucri are let; the occasional vacancies which

A linotype for the Chinese Occur aro led without dim-i

Insp Wong Chi-man sold the language, the first culty from a waiting list of apman Wong Wing, 35, plicants,

factory made, is being constructed worker, living at staircase of 54 by the company's workmen, Tonjin-street: went to the Shamshulpo police station and For many years considered sald that he wished to hand over an impossibility by printing the experts. 118 small pieces of jade, one pen machinery and a pair of spectacles which building of a linotype of he had bought from an unknown Chinese characters is the thief some years ago.

fulfilment of

long- cherished dream of Mr H. Eilis, manager of the Shang- hai offices of Linotype and Machinery Ltd.

Well over half of the 5,302 fats that the So Uk Estate wil eventually contain have already been taken over and occupied. Of the eleven blocks in the drs: three sections, nine have been completed and let and work on the remaining two blocks is rapidly approaching completion. FIVE BLOCKS Work on the fourth and final section of the So Uk Estate, comprising five blocks, is in progress and will be finished in the Autumn of 1902. Two 24- classroom primary schools, in- corporated into Laiy House and Laricapur House, have been taken over by the Department and are now june- iloning.

At the station defendant re- fused to be released on $25 ball saying that he wished to "eat out off the Government."

ARTICLES FOUND Defendant later led a police officer to his residence where

that these arifeles

If the machine proves and completely workable efficient, a solid line of Chinese characters will be set and cast on one piece of metul in less time thun it

the articles were found, He told the courb that he know

were stolen that he property and Education

wished them the police to return their rightful owners. added that he could "not re- would take to write them or member the date and from set them in individual pieces whom 20 had bought these of type.

American, French

Rotarians here

Two Rotary Club touring parties totalling 38 persons ar- rived by Air-India's Bocing to- day for a three-day visit prior to proceeding to Tokyo where they will participate in the

Interna- forthcoming Rotary tional Convention,

The two groups are made up of American and French who are on a round-the-world tour before participating in the forthcoming Tokyo conference.

Here to spend I the Commissioner of Prisons, at

As you know. In America we bas

are not ashamed to leave

The four bungalows form part second cur for our wives when seems to think

The Pilol we go off to work. Mr Fuller

The border station of Lo Wo of

Rehabilitation

such matters

was shown, with its miserable Settlement for cured drug ad- should be swept

the refugeGa

but dicts which the Christian Wel- under

crossing aver.

fare and Reilef Council is apon- mostly the enmera oscillated be- carpet.

some 20 acres of tween Mr Turner's home and sering on the refugee shack, or Mr Kan's Crown Land in the Valley, home and the refugee shark. Government officials

Neither were the action shots Finally. Mr Fuller accuses us 55 other refugees in the aren

of ignoring the hospitals, we fugee killing a rat in his home.

varied much. The actor confirmed the fact that this was a common necurrence and that

free fare centres, canteens, and

Its family cating from batter this particular

well trade. A logical volee for the "other amenities which boy was

the

ed pots and pans. The refugee contemporary free trade scene Hongkong Government has pro- known for his proficiency at rat- Killing. It was not a melodrama- i Michael Turner and we vided." Among the arterities he huts going up in flames. A shot a hired truck taking the re- tic and exceptional incident. moved on to him at this point. accuses us of ignoring are the

mo-fugee from his hut to the new "housing estates", which

the ment before he had described housing block, where, as

camera lad it, he exchanged himself as "brick squnlor."

shanty squalor for brick aqua- These are Fuller's errors in fact, but beyond that flanking and Law.

lor. The comers then turned to Breakfast lies his error in judgment,

on the Peak and tea with the attempts to personallse at the and regarding my stake

In Kans Hongkong which is irrelevant

Baby Doll Sets

al

from $35.00

Paquerette's-

16a Des Voeux Road, C.

Tol. 21-157

blatant

his

of

While

that the 4 pm tomorrow. It is hoped settlement will even- tually accommodate 20 cured drug addicts and their families In four bungalows and eight duplex buildings.

FOOD AND TOOLS

The Christian Wellare and Relict Council supplied the materials for the continuetion of these shots weru the bungalows. The seltiers

Holden's voice

clothing, will be given food,

to a news report. in fifty-two screened, Mr minutes we assembled those gave a non stop commentary. farm tools and supplies as well elements which we considered With the opening shot of Mr as pigs and poultry to assist most essential to a document Holden, he reminds his audience them along the road to rehabili ury as distinguished from travelogue (I've done that pictures),

C

Sure we left out the lovely tourist attractions. We also left out the narcotic addiction, the smuggling, the prostitution, the social distinctions. We did not have time to examine the church work and the welfare

that ..

Cotontalism is for tation. most of us a dirty word," and

of the

to prove his point, the camera. The purpose of the Slu Lam swoops down to the indescrib- Valley project is to provide the able, squalor

refugee cured drug addict, after his re- lease from prison, with clean shoeits.

and wholesome environment and a useful life as a vegetable farmer so as to prevent him from returning to the drug habit.

Carping mind

As Mr

Turner is Blown

work. They are necessarily leaving for

work, Mr Holden Hmited in their scope because say, "M" Turner in driving 100,000 new arrivals, montly his Mo

himself, leaving the penniless, each year defy any Rolls Royce for his wife," organised philanthropy. What Now a person with a carping seemed important to us (and mind might assume all here any reasonable man has was deliberately slanted, but I a right to disagree) was the am sure Mr Holden had no

Chi

Labour chief

people and their ways of life, such intention, for did rut Mir visits unions

and the Awesome

flow

human energy and courage.

No slant

The Commissioner of Labour, the Hon. P. C. M. Sedgwick,

of Turner place his home of the

cameraman's disposal?

Unfortunately, the TV pro duter did not photograph the hospitals, housing estates, wel-

visited two trade unions yester- day accompanied by Mr David This we attempled to docu-fare centres, schools, canteens,

Lin Fuo-fu, Assistant Labour ment with what.we considered food distribution centres, and

other after much checking and corto-

amenities which

Oncer. the boration to be the essential Hongkong Government has pro- film sequencen. We adhered to vided.

the

The trade unions aro Hongkong and Kowloon Um- Manufacturing Workers

Kowloon Cattle Trade Workers General Union.

no slani but we edited with a I am quite certain that Mr brella point of view we hold to be Holden regrets this omission na Union and the Hongkong and valid and supportable.

much as I do, and he must Anyway, George, I've gotten have been disappointed that the

It off my chest. I think It was script gave him no opportunity Confucius who once said men of saying no.

Matters of mutual interest were dlacussed between the and

and fish both have eyes but The average Hongkong real- see things differently. By the dent would take the view that Commissioner of Labour way, the reviews in the States "Report On Hongkong" is a officers of the two unions dur- were 99 per cent excellent deliberately blased report, and Ing the virit.

one week

Mr Maurice F. Harri, Assia-

Vice President, tant

Overseas Banking Division. American Ex- press Co, Inc, arrived by Air- India's Boeing today for a one week business visit

articles.

10 He

Just as the "lino" now casts column after column of

He also told the court that he was now employed in a factory and that he wished to turn news daily for the English

Janguage Over a new leat.

newspapers, 80 Insp Wong

the would this new machine per- magistrate to remand this case form that service for the

the defendant Chinese newspapers. as he suspected

asked

to be mentally unbalanced.

Filme ina

Todd-AO

✩

50 YEARS AGO.

Extract from SCM Post 25 years ago column:

"What to do with our boys is one of the most perplexing problems of the family circle.

"Around the World in 80 In Hongkong, expecially, the Days" is to be shown in openinga are few and the Todd-AQ at the Royal opportunities not of the best. Cinema, Kowloon, after Indeed, many young lives have

весть ша

wasted through force this wookand's film.

of circumstances driving them

to uncongenial grooves.

Navy and Army have their attractions, but young

Mr S. T. Wu has secured the exclusive rights for screening this fenture in Hongkong, as it was originally made.

into

"The

The film was screened earlier colonials,

who would

be

in Hongkong in the 35mm pro- specially suitable for these cess, which prevented its sound- desirable services on accant Mr Harrl, who is stationed in track and vivid colours being of familiarity with their waya Now York, had come from shown to full advantage,

and workings, cre dimuat com- Pakistan where he attended the Should this film succeed it pletely debarred because of the opening of a new American Ex-will be the first Todd-AO to do burdensome expense of their press office at Lahore

Ein Hongkong.-A.F.

POP by Co...

לזם!

AND WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR

TODAY'S FIGHT?

I REMINDED MISS FITCH THAT SHE'D FORGOTTEN

TO SET US OUR

HOMEWORK

Itraining."

Look!

one

hand!

Carlsberg

Printed and published by Terence GordóN NEWLANDS PEARCE for, and on behalf of South China Morning Post Láindied of 1-3 Wyndham Street, City of Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong.

"