committee members. Our Charming Lady members are particularly good at this

job. The by-law is of course satisfied by putting them on the ballot paper and

voting is done by a show of hands. After two or three pint, no one objects of

course.

 

Through the years the branch has arranged various activities, such as; lectures,

outings and other functions, mostly always with a nautical flavour.

 

Branch members contributed & still do: to suggested topics, the giving of lectures

and providing lecturers. These lectures, then, as now, covered a range of current

and interesting topics. More importantly, they were mostly of a practical nature

and always provoked discussion - often very searching – and at least on one

occasion the lecturer ended up with a sore throat.

 

In the early days these meetings quite often took place in the Poly Bar, there was

a, blackboard and easel. After fortifying ourselves with pints of beer the topic

under review was expounded - with various degrees of eloquence - depending on

the quantity of pints imbibed.

 

The topics; in those early days was directed at the Collision Rules, the use of; or

rather misused of Radar, the formation of the New Hong Kong Registry, Pilotage,

Changes in Registration and Surveys of Local Craft were all hot topics. The pints

and members quite often were smothered with chalk dust as the more enthusiastic

of the lecturers became more and more animated.

 

Various visits and outing also have been organised over the years. The Marine

Police Headquarters, old, new and the latest one. These included trips on their

latest craft. The traffic management HQ, the Poly radar simulator and to add

variety the Kadoori Farm, the Special Porpoises, and the Light House at Waglan

Island.

 

It must be said with deep appreciation that Swires over the years has been have

been most generous in providing their launch for various site seeing trips to the

outlying Islands. There were trips to Junk Bay and on another when our younger

member tried their hand at Waterskiing, with no great success I must say.

 

Having no fixed abode, the NI over the years has enjoyed the hospitality of various

venues. I can recall, as previously mentioned, the Polytechnic Bar and The Marine

Department Offices. But we also squatted on The Police Officer’s Club, The Yacht

Club, The Hong Kong Volunteers Mess and the Mariners Club to name a few. When

selecting these locations it was important that a bar be located near at hand on the

premises to supply pints.

 

The AGM’s were always good fun and the importance of the occasion also required

large amounts of beer. It was sometimes held at Zetland Hall, where again there

is a Bar – which runs along the length of the room.

 

Two or three times we held a wine tasting at the Police Officer’s Recreation Club. I

recall, that some member had a lady friend or wife who was engaged in

sponsorship with Watson’s or someone like that – so rows of bottles appeared at

the back of the room for the tasting – after the business was over and after a

precleansing ale or two was downed - our members set about the business of ‘tasting’

– however as they, were more attuned to knocking back pints than thimble full of

wine – they proceeded with some aplomb to sip and discuss the merits in staccato

voices. But as , the idea of spitting out and taking pieces of bread ‘too cleans the

pallet’, was aberrant to their sensibilities; after one or two attempts at gentility -

down the hatch it went. After a bit, all the wines, tasted great and the Lady Friend

made a roaring trade in all types of bottled wine. Many bottles ended up in prizes

in raffles-I had the last drop, which was used for cooking, only the other day.

 

I remember on another occasion having it in the Ladies Recreation Club: The

décor, was a symphony in pink with pink curtains, pink table cloths, and even pink

serviettes. The demand for pints was treated with frosty disdain by the Matron in

Charge followed by the tart response - ‘we could possibly manage some bottle

bear’- after one case of Sam Mig - there was no more. I don’t remember ever going

there again.

Another great time was at the Annual Dinner. This significant occasion, I think

either the first or second year, it was held at the World Trade Centre. Now the cost

of the dinner included so many bottles of wine, I seem to remember two per table.

But the cost of any extra, was exorbitant, and they did not serve pints or even

bottled bear, which was a pity. However, our members, enterprising as usual,

solved the problem. At diner you had to be careful where you put your feet and not

kick them out, otherwise there could be discerned a, CHINK, CHINK, CHINK. Now

when everyone, got up to dance, someone dived under the table, and by slight-of

—hand filled up the glasses. We had one or two expert at this game.

 

Many successful Dinners were held at the Officer’s Mess at HMS Taimore. I can

still remember one member, (who I will not mention), full of the joy after too many

pints, playing peek-a-boo behind the potted plants, while the Chairman made his

speech. There was always a good times had by all - no matter how large or small

the gathering.

 

The Branch from the outset had a Newsletter, firstly typed out on A4 and

mimeograp, then later editions were printed out in glossy paper. I discovered a

few of these ranging from №8, July 1988 to №51, December 1994 and in these

heirloom are some interesting articles concerning the developments of the Marine

Industry in Hong Kong.

 

The Branch entered the electronic age very early on, and into the age of Internet.

The advent of the Internet made the Newsletter redundant and our web page was

born.

 

I this respect I would like to make to take a quotation from The Annual General

Meeting Report №8 – July 1988.

 

“OUR GUEST OF HONOUR WAS CAPTAIN PETER DALRYMPLE-SMITH RN who is

CAPIC HONG KONG, he gave a very entertaining speech after dinner which of

course had a very nautical flavour. He opened with a story about communications

in the days of the first RN Captain in Hong Kong in about 1841 which if he had a

question to ask Whitehall had to send it by ship and if he was lucky if he got a reply

in six months. Nowadays, he went on to say, he could get the question to the

correct person in Whitehall in under an hour, but it can still take six month to get a

reply.”

 

I can add to this, in stating that now it only takes seconds to e-mail our HQ in

London but also takes six months or there a bouts, to respond.

 

As I would be incorrect of me to singled out anyone in particular, I will there close

by making this tribute - by asking you join with me in extending our united deep

appreciation to all our past and present Chairmen, the past and present Committee

Members, who now and over the years have devoted so much of their free time to

created and make the branch grow into an efficient and seaworthy ship.

 

I therefore now call on you all - to rise and raise your glasses:

The Toast is to;

THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE HONG KONG BRANCH