25th July 1965

The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank
Central PO Box 227
Osaka Japan

Dear Mum, Dad and Alan,

I have not written for some time because events have kept me busy and Margo wrote instead last week.  I was confirmed Accountant at the beginning of the month - a month early I though.  A week later came the news that Guy Sayer was to take over Mongkok from Martin Curren and I was to stand in as Acting Manager until next March, when the new manager, whoever he may be, should arrive.  It has meant changing the foreign staff around so that they are all to learn new jobs and a new man has also arrived to do Inward Bills.  I will have a good man to do the routine on my desk until November when he goes on leave, but for the rest they are probably a little more interested in social activities than work and it remains to be seen if things will go smoothly or not.  Although the appointment is "Actin" it is made by the Board and means I have been given an unexpected opportunity.  Very pleasing and I am keeping my fingers crossed - you might do the same for me!

Our weather has remained wet and the great summer heat has not come yet although it is pretty warm.  We all drove up into the Rokko range today and took a picnic.  There was the usual large number of photographers at a farm we visited and they used the girls as models - the girls loved it and we could hardly get them away.  Almost last Susan who had slipped out of the car again just before I was about to drive off.  With 100  million people in Japan and only a few living areas of which the Osaka plain contains the second largest part of them, one does not get away from people easily.  They are teaming over the hills in funny hats, woollen stockings Everest type climbing boots and clumsy 40lb packs (the girls are often in high heels) and carrying transistor radios.  So driving is tedious as they will walk in the middle of the road and buses and cars clog the rest of the space.

The Sayers will leave about 17th August and tomorrow there other girl and boy arrive on holiday form school in England.  The Helblings left Kobe for Penang yesterday and we had a party there last week.  Paterson the Tokyo manager came down for it and we went out with him for lunch and again for dinner the following night.  Then last night we gave a dinner for Uttley the new arrival - it was a clear evening and we were able to sit outside with a cool breeze and look at the view.  But it seems that with the dryer weather activities are sparking up and once it becomes known I have taken over I expect we will be even more included in the official circuit.

Cheerio for now and all my love & from the girls
xxx
xxx
Peter