6th May 1961

Jesselton

Dear Mum Dad and Alan,

I am late in writing this time because of a short revisit to Beaufort for the end of the month and have not been able to find energy to write after a day in the office. The rain has started again and for the most part this is beneficial but usually the evening is muggy. Your parcel arrived safely and the pyjamas and records were just what i wanted - thank you very much indeed for taking so much trouble, I do appreciate it a lot. Beaufort is going very well in that it has run without me and without snags. They handle Current & Savings accounts, Loans, remittances and many other odds and ends. It taught me a lot of things in a hurry and I also found I had to draw on memory of events way back. I went back for 2 days to help them with their month end returns and expect that in future someone else will go up on monthly inspections as I am booked to understudy the accountant in June for a three week relief job in July. Also I have two weeks local leave this month when we hope to go to Ranau for a few days. This is a very quiet spot in the interior which is supposed to be cool.

You appear to pack more and more into your daily life and weekly letter than ever - from museums to wills. I imagine you without time to sit down. I am not to have the "appointment" because I am too junior! But I have got the desk allowance and the Bank's Power of Attorney. It is all very odd and I have not heard of such a thing happening before. but as I cannot in anyway question the matter I do not supposed I shall ever know the real reason for it. It is certainly a strange sort of job after the Books routine. I spent one morning last week going over the bank building with the architect & then obtaining estimates for running repairs etc. We have a dozen or so offices overhead which we lease and thins require repairs all the time from WC doors jamming to touching up the paintwork in the lifts & leaks in the roof after a heavy rain. This afternoon (Saturday) I have unpacked £500 worth of crockery being 5 years supply to the entitled housed in the 3 territories. The next thing is to pack part of it and ship it off & get it on to the inventories. £500 worth of glassware is to arrive next month! There are no packing facilities or extra staff to handle this sort of thing & normal work must go on so it is all extra time to be given up. I do not mind it for the most part, but there is nothing to show for it in the end. One thing, the people between the Mess standard & accountants are now to be given their own crockery, glassware & cutlery & kitchen ware. It is not up to the standard or quantity of the other, but will be a great help. I am ordering it now & expect it will arrive in a year's time. So perhaps next tour we shall be able to leave some of our stuff packed up. The stock market seems higher than ever but my shares have just not responded to it and I have lost interest for the time being. Hope Carreras produces a good end year result otherwise 1962 is going to be a long time to wait for. The rubber price has been firm at 90 cents for a few weeks & anything above 80 cents should give Bangowan a reasonable trading profit - I think they must have a good year. Margo has spent a very busy day with the Red Cross selling on a magazine and book stall in part of their annual bazaar. Apparently there was such a rush that they had to fight off a mob. They sold (2 ladies) all the books most at 10 cents each & raised over $250. The great news of the week which I have left till last is that Margo has passed her driving test! Freda Ingham took her out time after time & Margo passed easily - as she should have done the first time she took it in Jesselton. Ever since she has been out and about in the car and is busier than ever. Wee took the Ingham's out to dinner - Steak & a bottle at our air conditioned eatery & afterwards to the Golf Club where the US Navy gave a band show & dance. Margo went on the heavy cruiser USS St Paul in harbour here & took Adrienne & had an amazing morning sightseeing. That night we were at a cocktail party at H. E (Gov House) to meet the officers. There were Captains & Admirals all over the place and a very cheery bunch. They were all down here on the SEATO exercise and we have had helicopters and other weird aircraft overhead for a few days.

Cannot hold the pen anymore. All our love expecially from the girls.
Peter