A
*
24
as follows, viz., your herd are a long distance from town, a menace or danger to no one, and we will endeavour to provent as far as possible the contagion being carried by you or others beyond your own premises. We will there- fore declare your premises infected, place sguard of police about your property, and allow no person or thing to leave the premises; whatever is within shall remain with in, and whoever may be within shall remain there, that he may not be the means of carrying the contagion beyond your own premises. This order, was, we think, the death knell to our herd-(hear, hear), but was only operative as regards our cattle, our European manager, and his European assistant. Natives, however, could go in at the back, and come out again when they liked, and a score or more of the conta minated coolies actually bolted; and, further, it did not prevent a regiment of soldiers from pass- ing over ground saturated with the excreta and blood of many diseased or slaughtered animals, and afterwards passing through our non-infected property and within close proximity of the sheds containing some of our healthy animals, which had not hitherto been exposed to the con- tagion of the fatal malady. They then marched along the Pokfulum road, through the town, and proceeded to their quarters in Kowloon, carrying on their garments the blood of these disessed animals. As we have said, had our establishment been in the town the course pursued would, in all probability, have been that carried out with the Chinese dairies in Wanchai and Kennedytown some five years ago, when they were visited with a similar epidemic. The Colonial Veterinary Surgeon at once condemned the sick and healthy animals, and they were immediately slaughtered and put into junks and removed for burial, at the ex- pense of the public. (The carcasses of our cattle were disposed of at our own expense). Later, the Chinese owners were compensated for the loss of the slaughtered animals, as is done in most countries, not excepting, we believe, Japan and the Transvaal, where, we are informed, the Matabele outbreak was caused by the Govern- ment insisting on the diseased cattle being Blaughtered. We would like you to clearly understand that our grievance is against the principle adopted, and not against the indivi- duals by whom it was enforced. (Hear, hear.) Our losses have been great and, in our opinion, the best thing to do will be to pass the resolutions which Mr. Potts has just read to you; sell the property of the Company to a new concern, by adopting an agreement which has been pre- pared, and which provides that the capital of the new concern shall be $75,000, $50,000 of which is to be considered as paid up and $25,000 to remain on call; the calls not to exceed $1, and that one month's notice of such calls be given. That is to say, the present shareholders will receive for each share they now hold one share in the new Company, on which §5 will be considered as having been paid up, and $2.50 shall remain on call; the capital to be $75,000,
owners this
[July 8, 1896
The CHAIRMAN That is the end of the passing of the resolutions. These resolutions of course will have no weight until they are: * confirmed at a second meeting, of which you- will have due notice. We have to thank you for your attendance.
THE THIRD GYMKHANA MEETING.
An excellent
PATRONS. His Excellency Sir William Robinson, K.C.M.G., His Excellency Major- General Black, C.B., Commodore G. T. H. Boyes, R.N..
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
out slaughter of cattle. That out and
was passed, Ordinance
I say, gentle- men, for the protection ofthe colony- for the protection of the colony's meat and milk supply and for the protection of those who undertook to provide the supply. The consequences of the action-I was going to say-rather the inaction of the Government have been that we have been subjected to the penalties of that Ordinance without participat-
The two previous Gymkhana meetings were ing in any measure in the protection of the
very successful, but the meeting on Satur Ordinance. Now I cannot believe that that was the intention of the Legislature. Cowkeeping in day was undoubtedly the best of the reason
from every point of view. Hongkong has been proved for many years past, programme had been got together and the to be a very difficult affair. Mr. Kennedy told
sport provided was
first class. Fortu- me with his own lips that he wished heartily he nately the weather turned out fine, although had never seen a cow, and I believe the major
there was rain earlier in the afternoon. The number of the cattle in the colony have been
attendance was large and the interest in the subjected to mortgage from time to time from the
The fol events was sustained throughout. commencement of the Dairy Farm up to the pre-lowing is a list of the officials :--- sent day, excepting our own. Ever since the days of the prophet Samuel and King Saul there bas been manifested a great indisposition to slaughter healthy cattle-they slaughtered the Amala- kites' seedy, weakly, and miserable stock, but
COMMITTEE Mr. R. Alexander, R.B., The they saved the best-and in order to meet that Hon, J. J. Bell-Irving, Mr. Hart Buck, Capt. iu disposition on the part of
Barney, R.A., Mr. Grote, Mr. V. Cesar benevolent legislation was provided to take Hawkins, Mr. T. F. Hough, Capt. Loveband, the responsibility of dealing with such s
A.D.C., Mr. J. Mackie, Mr. A. S. Manners, as rinderpest off their Mr. G. C. C. Master, Mr. C. H. Nugent, R.E., terrible infliction shoulders. We felt,
trustees for you, Lt. Col. 8.8
The O'Gorman, D.A.A.G., Capt. that we had no right whatever to slaughter Radclyffe, R.B., Commander W. F. Tunnard,
cattle; we dared not slaughter these
R.N., Hon. T. H. Whitehead. them; they were perfectly healthy. Our man. ager thought, we thought, some medical men in the colony thought that it was simply an attack of influenza which would soon pass away. If we had slaughtered $5,000 worth of cattle some morning and it turned out that we had done so withoutsufficient grounds we should have had to answer to you for it. The Gov. ernment were in the same position. We had no veterinary surgeon to appeal to, and they had no veterinary surgeon to appeal to, and in this dilemma, not knowing what to do, they did nothing except, as the Chairman said, to
We received from the Government lock us up. few dollars for coolies' clothing and mat sheds which had been destroyed by the Sanitary Board, but they have not offered us any compensa- tion for cattle which have been destroyed.
that is the
for reason
our calling and
We hoped all along that the! you together. Government would come to our aid by putting in force the Ordinance provided for their action, but they did not do so, and in giving us money for the coolies' clothing and the mat sheds they "strained out the gnat and swallowed the camel." They gave us the units and the tens for the coolies' clothing. &c. but they declined to give us the hundreds and the thousands for the cows destroyed. I can only hope that it is possible that some new light may be thrown upon the subject and that they may take a different view of the matter. Again I say that we are very sorry at the way in which the thing was carried out, and we hope even now against hope that there may be some thing brighter in store. I beg to second the resolution.
If
divided into 10,000 shares of $7.50 each. there are any questions 1 will be glad to answer them; otherwise I will put the resolutions to the meeting.
There were no questions and the CHAIRMAN proposed-That it is desirable to reconstruct the Company, and accordingly that the Company be wound up voluntarily, and that Mr. William Hutton Potts be and he is hereby appointed Li- quidator for the purposes of such winding up."
Mr. SHARP-It is with a great deal of self humiliation that I address you to-day. We are indeed grievously oppressed and in deep sorrow at the result of our long-continued efforts. It has been said before that this company was started not to make money but to make milk; and Dr. Mansen, who in March, 1886; succeeded in getting up the company amongst a few well-wishers of the colony, was regarded at the time, and I believe he has been regarded lever since, as a benefactor. He had the sympathy of the whole colony, although the supporters of the company were but few. In the following year the Cattle Diseases, Slaughter-houses, and Markets Ordinance 1887 was introduced, with a view to bring Hongkong, in these mat- ters, into line with British, American, and Euro- pean civilisation. This Ordinance empowered the Governor in Council to make orders, in /case of epidemic, for the immediate and
|
Carried unanimously.
a
Mr. MACHADO proposed--" That the said Liquidator be and he is hereby authorized to consent to the registration of a new Company, to be named The Dairy Farm Company, Limited, with a Memorandum and Articles of Association which have already been prepared with the privity and approval of the Directors of this Company.'
Mr. MASTER seconded.
Carried unanimously.
Mr. MACHADO proposed-"That the draft agreement submitted to this meeting and ex: pressed to be made between this Company and its Liquidator of the one part, and The Dairy Farm Company, Limited, of the other part, be, hereby approved, and that the and the same said Liquidator be, and he is hereby authorized, pursuant to section 149 of the Companies Or- dinance 1865, to enter into an agreement with such new Company (when incorporated) in the terms of the said draft, and to carry the same into effect with such (if any) modifications as he thinks expedient."
Mr. MASTER seconded, Cerried unanimously.
JUDGES :- Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving and Hon. T. H. Whitehead.
HANDICAPPEBB:--Mr. Hart Buck, Mr. M.
Grote, Mr. T. F. Bough.
STARTER-Capt. Burney, R.A. TIMEKEEPER :-Mr. J. Mackie. CLERK OF THE SCALES :—Mr. R. Alexander. HON. TREASURER:-Capt. Radclyffe. HON. SECRETARY
-Lient.-Col. The O'Gor-
man. D.A.A.G.
By kind permission of Lient.-Col. Norcott and the officers of the Rifle Brigade the band of the Regiment played the following selections under the conductorship of Mr. W. D. Peachey,
bandmaster
March............ "Austria " Finale........
Dance
"
A Gaiety Girl" "Vision"
"Nell Gwynne" "Hungarian
Nowotny.
Jones Waldteufel.
Planquette.
...... Brahm.
Valse Selection
"Froh und Heiter"............. Faust. Galop HALF MILE HANDICAP; first prize presented
with $20 added; 2nd, $20; entrance $1. Mr. John Peel's The Laird 12st. 2lbs.
(Mr. Jones) Lt. Col. The O'Gorman's Morrison 11st. 7lbs:
Mr. Nugent's Armistice, 11st. 12lbs.
(Mr. Boden) 2
(Capt. Radclyffe) |
Capt. Burney's Baccarat, 9st. 10lbs.
(Mr. Long) There was a short delay at the post. Mor- rison was the first to get away, but at the black rock he was caught by The Laird and at the village Mr. Peel's pony passed him. Armistice was now third and in this order they entered the straight. The Laird came forward with a good stride and won in a common canter. Morrison was second, Armistice third, and Baccarat last. Time-64 secs. HANDICAP FOR ALL BONA-FIDE POLO PONIES;
from the 1 mile Post in; 1st prize presented, with $20; 2nd, $20; entrance conditions as in No. 1.
Capt. Burney's Throstle, 11st. 9lbs. (Owner) 1 Capt. Loveband's Artaxerxes, 11st 131bs.
(Capt. Radolyffe) 2 Surg.-Capt. Edye's Planet, 10st. 13lbs...... (Owner) Mr. Bodin's Gibraltar, 10st. 9lbs. (Owner) Mr. Lewin's Blue Green, 10st. 2lbs. (Owner)
Throstle showed the way, being closely pur- sued by the others. Nearing the straight. Ar- taxerxes was the most prominent of the four in the rear and in the straight he and Captain Burney's pony ran a capital race home, the lat- ter managing to win by a length. Planet and Gibraltar had a close struggle for third place, Planet getting ahead by almost a length. Time
---50 secs.
A STEEPLECHABE; the Course to be selected
by the Committee; first prize $50; 2nd, $20 ;. at least 5 starters or no race; entrance.com- ditions as in No. 1.