XN000022-1977-06-24 — Page 19

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Whilst on the subject of Chinese customs, names in

Chinese are considered to be very important and indicative of good

or bad fortune, just like "Fung Shui". Hong Kong has been very

fortunate in the Chinese names of all its post-war Governors.

**Sir Mark Young's Chinese name means love for surprişe

and exciteront. This adventuring spirit inspired many of the

Then early immigrants to Hong Kong immediately after the war:

came Sir Alexander Grantham, who unfortunately cannot join us

His name meant this evening, who was in Hong Kong for ten years.

good appetite, big capacity, broadmindedness, which symbolised

Hong Kong's endurance in adversity, versatility and prosperity.

Then we had Sir Robert Black, who I am so pleased to see here

tonight. Black, as the name denotes, is not a cheerful colour,

It stands but his Chinese name means something entirely different.

for solid foundation and reliability, and so Hong Kong was indeed

e safe refuge for many people who decided to settle there.

"Sir David Trench, who is seated on my left, came next,

and he had a Chinese name meaning he brought with him the toe of

the chinese royal beast, which is considered a lucky charm, similar

to a rabbit's foot. He brought us, in addition to other things, a

lot of luck to see us through two major crises. The first was the

severe drought in 1964, when water was rationed for four hours

every fourth day. The first week he arrived, he brought torrential

rain. The second crisis was the riots in 1967. The situation was

at one time so critical that nationals of foreign countries, and

that does not of course include citizens of the U.K., were told to

be prepared for evacuation within 24 hours. Since then, Hong Kong

has never looked back.

/"And now