17
Monday, February 14, 1972
THE GOVERNOR AND SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME
Visits The Lunar New Year Fair
***
(93)
This evening the Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, saw for
himself something of Chinese New Year traditions and customs in Hong Kong.
Sir Alec accompanied His Excellency the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose,
on a surprise visit to the Lunar New Year Fair at Victoria Park where they saw
the seasonal rush by residents to buy the peach blossoms and kum quat trees
which denote good luck and prosperity for the coming year.
The Foreign Secretary and His Excellency the Governor were shown
around the fair by Mr. David T.K. Wong, City District Commissioner, Hong Kong
Island. They spent about 15 minutes in the Park.
Sir Alec and the Governor stopped at a stall selling the traditional
peach blossoms and exchanged a few words of greetings with the surprised but
happy stall-keeper. They were invited to enter the tiny stall and were shown
a branch of "hanging bells" which Sir Alec bought for $70.
The stall-keeper was heard to remark afterwards that a visit from such
distinguished persons was "the good luck omen to ensure success in his business
during the coming year."
Sir Alec showed great interest in the people of Hong Kong and their
customs and traditions.
Mr. Wong explained the significance of the Lunar New Year peach blossoms
and the kum quats and said that peach blossoms and kum quats represented
"prosperity and riches" and that it was, a traditional Chinese belief that having
them in the home at the beginning of the new year would bring good fortune to the
family for the rest of the year.
/At a stall
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