14th September 1951

Written on a larger Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Penang office air mail letter.

Dear Mum, Dad and Alan,

Thank you for your letter of 7th - the apples seem to be doing very well indeed as I still remember the occasions when we picked the one or two survivals with great pride.

Your mention of the dinner Sir A. intends to give to the staff reminds me that when he returns in October the ship will be carrying a large number of our staff returning from leave. Our new Acct will be on board I believe. The Agent's wife is dreading the arrival of the ship and has warned us that we must help her to entertain at the dinner we are to have here. They are both a charming couple but are not over keen on social activity and appear to live a very quiet life.

Sorry to hear of the extra tax demand coming in. I am very lucky - Malayan tax is - I believe - 15%, but I do not pay any unless I have dividends increasing my income. Another piece of invisible salary the Bank pay for me.

Life has kept on normal lines with no irregularities - work is steadily supplying the usual full day and I manage to fill my own time to my own amusement. have played this game of Badminton and though have no particular interest in it find it a very quick way of producing physical exhaustion!

Had a letter from Kay in Aden and apparently she is still on the Corfu which arrives here on Sunday so shall spend an hour on the old ship again.

Hope your humid weather has ended, though expect you can see winter on the way. We are in a humid patch ourselves. It rains now and again but being on an island with a large hill on it the weather can take a while to make up its mind. Sometimes we watch the most fearsome looking storms hearing dwon on us only for the clouds to be diverted at the crucial moment by the hills.

Cheerio for now and love,
Peter.

P.S. Have you see anything of Ron lately?