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(at the corner of Hoi Tan Street and Pei Ho Street) and finally to Tsing Yi Island.
In those days security was a matter of self-defence. The factory in consequence kept swords, rattan shields, and six handguns as weapons for defence against bandits.
The San Shing Lei kiln moved to Tsing Yi in 1915, buying the land to build the factory, and preparing the site by levelling it and reclaiming the sea frontage. It was the first factory to invest and set up there. The factory occupied about 150,000 square feet and had eight kilns for lime burning, and a good number of shelters and other buildings. Every month it could produce 10,000 piculs of lime.
At that time Tsing Yi was very remote, with only a few residents. Following the establishment of the kiln, this immediately encouraged the development and prosperity of the area. Since the kiln required to buy huge quantities of dried grass from the villagers, and employed more than one hundred workers to operate the kilns, crush the shells and to act as general coolies (most of these workers were Hoi Luk Fung people), and since many of the workers, for their convenience in getting to work, started to live near the factory, so shops could set up nearby and hope for business. Moreover, the pier built by the factory as its private pier was available for general use. Because of this the area around the factory became steadily more prosperous, and outsiders started to invest there, building houses and factories, until the area became a regular market.
In 1959 the Government built a pier near this market, with ferries to and from Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and Hong Kong, thus making it much easier for factories and shops on the island to transport goods, and for residents to travel backwards and forwards.
Why the Industry declined
In the 1950s the property industry in Hong Kong began to be very prosperous. Lime was supplied not only to the local industry
299
(at the corner of Hoi Tan Street and Pei Ho Street) and finally to Tsing Yi Island.
In those days security was a matter of self-defence. The factory in consequence kept swords, rattan shields, and six handguns as weapons for defence against bandits.
The San Shing Lei kiln moved to Tsing Yi in 1915, buying the land to build the factory, and preparing the site by levelling it and reclaiming the sea frontage. It was the first factory to invest and set up there. The factory occupied about 150,000 square feet and had eight kilns for lime burning, and a good number of shelters and other buildings. Every month it could produce 10,000 piculs of lime.
At that time Tsing Yi was very remote, with only a few resi- dents. Following the establishment of the kiln, this immediately encouraged the development and prosperity of the area. Since the kiln required to buy huge quantities of dried grass from the villag- ers,' and employed more than one hundred workers to operate the kilns, crush the shells and to act as general coolies (most of these workers were Hoi Luk Fung (W) people), and since many of the workers, for their convenience in getting to work, started to live near the factory, so shops could set up nearby and hope for business. Moreover, the pier built by the factory as its private pier was available for general use. Because of this the area around the factory became steadily more prosperous, and outsiders started to invest there, building houses and factories, until the area became a regular market.
In 1959 the Government built a pier near this market, with ferries to and from Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and Hong Kong, thus making it much easier for factories and shops on the island to transport goods, and for residents to travel backwards and for- wards.
Why the Industry declined
In the 1950s the property industry in Hong Kong began to be very prosperous. Lime was supplied not only to the local industry
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