25 APRIL 1998, Page 28

Karki drill

I APPLAUD the initiative of Kishun Dhoj Karki, who has smuggled himself and three kilograms of hashish into Australia by pass- ing himself off as the finance minister of Nepal. This confirms my belief that many impostors now pose as finance ministers, and that they fly round the world to boon- dogglish meetings so that they can dis- tribute opiates. Thus, in October last, 'Gor- don Brown' did not fly to Hong Kong by way of Mondorf-les-Bains, Mauritius, Madagascar, Johannesburg and Bangkok. That was an impostor, and the real Mr Brown stayed at home with his feet up. He should stay there next week and avoid the impostors in Brussels who will purport to sign up for a single pseudo-currency.