13th February, 1951

Hongkong & Shanghai B. C.
Penang

Dear Mum, Dad and Alan,

Thank you very much for your letter of 8th with details of Ian's new job etc. Very interesting and sounds full of promise. Guess Dorothy will be more than pleased and ??? Ian too. He will be lucky to get a car of any worth for 250 pounds. The market will be on the rise soon as production is being cut to make room for re-armaments. My baby Fiat will be a little over 400 pounds. It hasn't arrived yet but hope to have news of it to-morrow and will be driving I hope by the weekend. Am hoping to send the next parcel direct from Australia. I have an address and as the goods are usually Australian anyway the prices are supposed to be less for the same thing. They have a "meat pack" consisting of a parcel full of tinned meat and think I'll try that. You must let me know about tea - that is most essential and you must not allow the stock to go down!

John Seaton is going into hospital for appendix and from there on transfer to Singapore - his relief has arrived and is settling in well. More my own age too. Have been practising with his car and nearly killed a duck! Great Fun.

A planter and his wife was in Penang over the weekend and I was taken to dinner by them to the Lone Pine, a beach hotel and afterwards to the Runnymede Hotel. Had a couple of dances and a late night. Sunday, Peter Ogilvy-Stuart (Vancouver), the new man, arrived and I took them to dinner at the Swimming Club. Last night we met the Chusom, the P & O's latest' floating hotel', and we entertained one of our staff on his way to Saigon. Lots of conversation and banking chit-chat. They have lifts on the ship going from deck to deck.

Have bought an embroidered tea cloth and napkins and they serve as cover for dressing table and the napkins for vase of gay flowers and generally to stand things on. The room now looks good and complete and am after some cheap Indian rugs and a couple of curtains for one side window to add the finishing touches. Wish you could see it.

The weather is hotting up now and am still quite happy - am not too busy in the office and thats lucky. Tend to slow up towards the end of the day and am glad to get out and relax.

Hall- the Agent is now going home for good and we expect a new one in about two months - will he be just in time to open to the new building.

Suppose Henry is now nearly at the end of moving operations etc expect it will be some little time before he is finally settled though.

Two juniors are on their way from the UK on the Carthage and I hope to see them in about three weeks. As they were compatriots in London Office. I hope to have a very full evening session of news on their arrival.

So Pamela is starting a family - bet that causes a commotion. Haven't heard from Doug yet expect he's pretty busy. pam still writes though not much news. Haven't answered Margaret yet but managed a line to Reg & Maud. This isnt a place to sit and write - much easier to sit back and relax - wonderful.

Cheerio and love,
Peter