1941-01-20 — Page 102

'CHINA MAIL, PAGE 54

HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER

1841

An

THE story of Hong Kong as an in-

dustrial centre is the most diûl- cult of all to compile with any pretensions to strict accuracy. Unit a few years ago, industry just "growed up." slowly but persistently overcoming all the disadvantages arising from the absence of the raw materials for manufactures close at hand. Then,

with the outbreak ol Smo- Japanese hostilities, there sudders- ly developed what was almost an industrial

factories of evolution conceivable land every

sprant up so rapidly that if was difficult To keep track of them

The Thou, ands of person who sted the recent China Industrial Pan in Kowloon a week or so ago were alustest. without exception. se totshed by the variety of pro duct when they serves ed tor The Hat fanie, were being nunu factured in the Comeny

El

to

Industrial Revolution

The reason for the phenomenal. growth the last three of FOLEL

VISUN

Wilt simple Craugh stricken areas along the coast ant in Shanghai transferred their fac turies and equipment

Hong Kong Wealthy Chinese migrated from becupied territory, bringing with them ther wealth, and keen to find means of profitable vest-

ment

Millions Of Dollars

It is impossible to give a reliable estimate of the total investments in industrial enterprise 121 Hong Kong to-day but it runs into many mullions of dolla.. and manufac turing must now be counted one of the primary interests of the Colony.

Some industries, of course, ar nearly as old as the Colony itself. Shipbuilding, for instance, which is dealt with elsewhere

Sugai refineries, too, were soon well established, and unul th severity of competition in the Ea Indies and the Japanese subsidised refineries in Formosa became ac

factors tive

competing against Hong Kong, the Colony's refined sugar found its way to India and Malaya, as well as Chan The Tinkoo Sugar Refinery is still one of the largest and most progres- Sive east of Suez

40

The manufacture I portland cement also has a long history. The factory at Hok Un was start- ed more than forty years ago, ami though its progress has been series of ups and downs, with vicissitudes that almost threaten- ed the very existence of the in- dustry, the Green Island Cement Company is to-day one of our most prosperous.

Another important industry of long standing is that of rope manufacture from Manila hemp. A modern plant produces cordage that finds favour with the Navy, as well as the mercantile marine through the Far East, and is of such high standard that the pro- ducts of the H.K. Rope Manufac- turing Company ure valued in every part of the world. Rope from Hong Kong has gone as far afeld as the Russian oilfields in. Europe.

Rubber Factories

con-

Br'ck-manufacture has also at- tracted considerable enterprise, ns have its modern corollary, crete products. Several well- established firms are engaged : In this field of endeavour, and the Colony supplies the greater vart of its own needs. Most of the brick-burning kilns in the New Territories are operated by Chi-, nese labour and financed by Chi- nese capital.

The rubber-manufacturing in- dustry must be ranked among the

on

leaders in the field, as the result of rapid development in the last few years. Begimings were made with concentration

rubber- shoes and a substantial trade was built up in all parts of the world. Steady improvement of the pro- ducts and its marketing at a price with which British manufacturers could not compete, gave Hong Kong rubber-shoes such a mono- poly of th market that represen- tat ons had to be made and long regolin ions conducted in order to Food Hong Kong's compel ive te vers in this eld In recent years, the rubber factories have extended the scope of their enter- pists and now turn out a man- ner of rubber articles of first-ai quality

Small Capitalists

1

(i)

According to records available, in 1921 there were between 600 and 700 factories operating in Hong Kong, the majority located in Kowloon. It was also estimat- ed that these factories gave em- ployment to about 100,000 work-

er's.

It is, however, pointed out that although many different kinds of goods were being produced in the Colony, Jack of capital, proper supervision, technical guidance. and sk led labour were largely responsible for these snui And promising industries not improv - ing as they should have dong.

The oldest established Chinese factory in the Colony, the Nan- vang Brothers Company. Limital, was opened in 1904, II was the ftrat Chine factory in the real some of the word to be establish-

tl

As modern

idcas

permeater. well-equipped weay ng factor'e: and electre toren-light factor in.. sprang up in up-to-date premyses 10 which in Cheung Shu-wan, thousands of women obtained cm- ployment

Later with realisation of a need for cooperation between factories and for an organisation for esper guidance, a small group of fus ory owners later projected the ida ani of a Manufac.urers' Union this avas inaugurated in 1934, suf-

Within the last two years, th number of members has increa nel considerably.

Spinning and weaving go's

factories, a hundret and one

th large and small, throughout Colony wich

concentration, fargely, upon the production cotton underwear and socks. Thes. factories are of such a nature that to small capitalists are enabled start factories with the engage- ment of women and girls, and not all of these factories are housed in suitable premises. In their ag- gregate, however, they are fie entry important to make the knitting industry of Hong Kong deserving of comment in a record of the industries of the Co uny.

So greatly have factories muld- plied in recent years that a more gid inspection system was forced upon the authorities and the In- pectorate of Factories and Work- shops is now quita on important branch of the work of the SC.A. and the newly constituted Labour Office.

The union has a membership ni 260 at present.

Industrial Fairs

The four annual China Products Exhibitions held in the Colony under the auspices of the Union attracted a great deal of attention. His Excellency the Acting

The romantic story of how the preparation of preserved ginger by a street hawker developed into one of the most important Hong Kong industries is related in this page. Here is the mo- dern factory of the Chy Loong firm, who pioneered in Hong Kong 95 years ago.

THE PO LEUNG KUK

AMONG Chinese charitable in-

stitutions in the Colony, the Po Leung Kak is ranked both as one of the oldest and as one of those doing greatest good.

An institution for the protection of women and girls, the Po Leung Kuk was first established in two of the original houses accommo.... Hospitil dating the Tung Wah

in 1878. From its very beginnings. the Po Leung Kuk found its resources, heavily taxed; and in 1891,

assist-. financially Government ed by

and, as throughout its existence, public subscriptions, it moyed to moro commodious premises, the Kwong, Fuks Free Temple attached to the Tung Wah Hospital building to Po Hing Street.

Hill, spacious and in healthy sur- roundings, made available for the work; which the Po Leung Kuk undertakes.

Owing to the ever-increasing exploitation of young women and girls, under the economic stresses of recent years, the Po Loung Kuk is to-day dealing with be- tween 200 and 300 individualş daily, women and girls vascue.

kidnappers or traffickers, · mui tsais taken from cruel mis- tresses or who have been taken out of brothels for one reason÷'or. another.

from

Inmates of the institutión arz given elementary education and ero taught various; handicrafts, nellework and weaving.

The guardianship, of all, in Not until 1992 was the exist-mates, is officially exercised by the ing $110,000 building at Caroline. Secretary for Chinese, Affairs,

Governor. Lieutenant-General E.

fire-crackers,

F. Norton, paid a visit to the last Exhibition and it is of Interest to note that he afterwards expressed the belief that nothing must have

the surprised

Delhi Conference productive (held to review the capacity of the British Empire in the East) more than their discovery of the extent to which Hong Kong an industrial has developed into centre in the last few years.

Among the Colony's products at enamel ware. present are glass, stationery. toys. hardware, minerals, leather goods. paint. ink. matches, cigarettes, electric flashlights and batteries, electric lamps and bulbs, rubber mats. goods (shoes, gas-masks. toys, e'c), medieine, tinned food- seasoning stuffs, Chinese wines, FAUVEN and spices, underwear, wout- handkerchiefs, plevegoods. lens and cloth, rocks and stock ings, footwear, cosmetics, pertum-

y, toilet

goods (tooth-brushes, pastes and powder, soap. etc.). towels, felt and straw hats. weav ing and dyeings, steel-helmets. shove's, shirts, pumping engines, nails, buttons, manganese dioxide and graphite powders, metal win- bis- dow frames, confectionery, cults, radio transmitting and re- ceiving sets, telephone and elec- trical equipment, pencils, house- hold utensils, etc., etc.

Hawker's Luck

The Chy Loony Ginger Factory was started from J very hum- ble beginning by a man named Li Chy who was a hawker of food- stuffs and sweetmeats in a street corner of Canton over a hundred years ago when Europeans first larded in China. One day Chy made a new confectionery, pre- rerved Pinger. An Englishmau about to return to England bought soms of this preserved ginger. Find ng it delicious, he ordered a large quantity as present; for his people at Home. These presents were so liked that they sent out to China. repeat orders many Later. some-one presented some <if this popular sweetmeat to Queen Victoria, who appreciated it so much that she gave instruc tions that no banquets be without preserved ginger for dessert. Chy received so many orders from England that he had to enl in irish cap'tal to cope with the fast growing business. He there- fore entered into partnership with two other gentlemen by the nemes of Sung and Ip. A factory was built and it was named Chy Loong, the first word being the name of the founder Chy, and the recond word meaning "Prosper- ouc." This factory was the pion- eer of the Preserved Ginger in- dustry.

Lion's Share

In 1846 the Chy Loung Ginger Factory removed to Hong Kong. Nows came from England of Her Majesty's pleasure in the products and that Queen Victoria had sug- gested the "Cock" Brand as Chy Loong's Trade Mark Soon it be- came a fashion in all the Capitals of Europe to serve Chy Loong Gin- ger at social dinners. The pre- served ginger trade continued to grow until a turnover of $6,000,000 annually was reached. At this juncture other factories cropped' un to secure a part of the foreign orders, but still Chy Loong was in the lead and enjoyed a lion's share of the business, so much so, a premium has always been placed, on "Chy Loong's pro- ducts.

The present management,- un- der Mr. U Tat Chee, is always ex- perigiantiris to make new confec- t'oneries from Ginger and their lateat creation is Chocolate Coat- ed "Ginger and American Style Crystallised · Ginger.

1941