XN000022-1995-12-22 — Page 4

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Governor: I've said what the position is. If the Urban Council comes to a different view, so be it. But I hope that in any views they come to, they'll consult some of the artists whose work is being shown which wasn't previously the case. I can think of several of those artists who stood in front of their paintings, sometimes at public occasions, sometimes coming to see them privately and being delighted that so many people can now actually see their paintings. Indeed I think there are one or two cases where, thanks to their paintings being on display, they actually manage to sell more paintings. So it always seems to me that the more accessible art is the better. Just to say a little more about the numbers. There are at least 4,000 people coming to Government House for things like receptions, for dinners, for those sorts of occasions each year. I think it is probably impossible to put a number exactly on those who come to charitable functions in Government House, about once a week, or thereabouts. We do know the number who comes through Government House when we open up the garden and the house each year. The last figure was 17,000 and they are all able to see some of the paintings as well, paintings by local artists like Wang Hai and Rosamond Brown, one of our best painters. There are also able to see the Governor's paintings which aren't perhaps as good or expensive as the Urban Council's, but they are not bad.

Question: (on Governor's plan to spend Christmas)

Governor: How do I plan to pass Christmas? With my family. They'll all be here for Christmas. My two older daughters arrive this evening. And we'll have a family Christmas. We are inviting a number of friends and a number of young people who don't have family with them in Hong Kong to spend Christmas Day with us. We'll go for a walk. We'll eat a lot of turkey. I'll listen to some CDs. I won't listen to myself on the radio playing very good CDs, but the rest of you should do so. And go to church a couple of times. A traditional Christmas just like the Christmas that other families I hope, many other families, will be having in Hong Kong. So I wish all of you a happy Christmas. You're allowed to have Monday off as you've been working so hard and I hope we all have a happy and successful New Year. Thanks very much.