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SCMP Reporter

I used to joke that June 30, 1997, was the date when Hong Kong business people would acquire the world's biggest piece of real estate.

  Perhaps it isn't a joke.

  I learned recently about a youngish Hong Kong businessman by the name of Lee Ka-kit who is interested in investing in property on the mainland.

  Nothing unusual about that.

  Except Mr Lee, 32, has been picking up bits here and there, and now owns US$330 million worth of the stuff - that's equivalent to HK$2.54 billion, or the total annual earnings of 635,000 average Chinese city dwellers.

  Mr Lee had a bit of help. His dad just happens to be Lee Shau-kee, the property tycoon who has overtaken Li Ka-shing on the 'umptillionaire' scale.

  The elder Mr Lee, boss of the Henderson group of companies, now owns so much property and so many businesses that his wealth is, for practical purposes, pretty much countless - like kings and nabobs in fairy tales.

  The information about his son's mammoth property holdings is tucked into the small print of the corporate documents issued by Henderson China Holdings.

  I have been unable to find out whether Mr Lee Junior is married. Anyone know?   In case he isn't, I hope he will note I have an unmarried daughter. She's only eight months old, but hey, they grow up so fast these days . . . A mathematical contributor did some calculations on Peter Sutch's salary.

  The Swire chief is estimated to earn some $13.5 million a year including housing. If this is true, it works out to:   $1.125 million per month;   $51,136 per day, based on the standard 22 working days per month;   $6,392 per hour, based on an eight-hour day;   $106.53 per minute; or   $1.78 per second.

  Sick with envy yet?   'He makes about $200 in the time it takes to empty his bladder,' the number-cruncher says.

  'Washing his hands costs the company another $100.' Seen on a T-shirt in New York: 'Power Means Never Having to Respond.'  Took my toddler for a walk and noticed that a sign has been erected in the sitting-out area at the junction of Caine Road and Hospital Road in Western: 'No Smoking'.

  This is a large piece of land, featuring benches, toilets and a playground. It is completely unenclosed.

  Even to a non-smoker with children, this can only be seen as the Urban Council yet again confirming its complete imbecility. (Hey guys, we don't need any more proof.)   The first object that tiny wisps of smoke rising from the old smoker in the park are likely to hit is the moon. Snoozing on the couch in the early hours of the morning, reporter John Flint was jolted from his slumber by a sinister-sounding voice from the television.

   'You would do well to remember the power of Xinhua,' it said in a low rasp.

  Had RTHK handed over airtime to Happy Valley's finest? He opened his eyes to find Pearl was showing Kung Fu: The Legend Continues , and the threat was directed at actor David Carradine.

  The plot: youthful good guy trains to become a Shaolin monk. But he is challenged by the dark forces who follow the teachings of Xinhua.

  'They got their power from a big emerald stone, something like you might find in Nathan Road,' John said.

  I wonder if that Martin Lee Chu-ming writes screenplays in his spare time? Readers saw possibilities in my tale on Saturday about a writer living out the plot of his book for the sake of authenticity.

  'I wonder if I could get finance to try this with my book,' a Robinson Road reader who did not want his name mentioned said.

  'It's a deeply philosophical work called Chained to 14 Naked Nymphos .' The best suggestion I had was to inaugurate an annual ritual where two ill-matched people are handcuffed together for 24 hours as a charity thing.

  Proposed couples: Lu Ping and Emily Lau, Chris Patten and Elsie Tu, Kevin Sinclair and a United Nations official.

  Someone suggested Rita Fan and a Vietnamese boat person, but I think the Vietnamese have suffered enough. Favourite recent misprint was in the Ask Angie column. The text recommended that a cash-strapped youngster invest in a few floral scarves and 'dotty bananas' (sic) to jazz up her T-shirts and jeans. Having said that, it would be much jazzier to wear bananas than boring old bandanas.



Fancy a 'family ties' marriage, Mr Lee?