Dairy Farm on Pedder's Hill | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Dairy Farm on Pedder's Hill

Dairy Farm on Pedder's Hill

The story of the sweetheart deal for Dairy Farm on Pedder's Hill.

Hong Kong Telegraph 1892

"The approaching completion of the Dairy Farm Company's building on Pedder's Hill affords a favourable opportunity for referring to the meanest fraud ever perpetrated on a colony of helpless slaves through the mental aberrations of a very sick man, in the hands of sharp and unscrupulous money-makers."


The irony is, that if this sweetheart deal had not been made and the land put up for auction, we would not today have the little bit of "breathing space" of these now Government owned buildings.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Tuesday, May 3, 1892
Connections: 

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The Hongkong Telegraph
Tuesday, May 3, 1892

The approaching completion of the Dairy Farm Company's building on Pedder's Hill affords a favorable opportunity for referring to the meanest fraud ever perpetrated on a colony of helpless slaves to the mental aberrations of a very sick man, in the hands of sharp and unscrupulous moneymakers the only beginning feature in the final it are is not yet passed there is still time to write a wrong done and to undo one of the numerous deep which disgraced the latter days of poor failing Governor Des Voeux in this colony, and which showed how he suffered from a mens insana in corpore instano, and how the colony suffered by his ailment.

It is fortunate for us he just got enough to realize for himself as he could hold on no longer, and had to go home; otherwise Hong Kong would now be a miniature reproduction of the German Empire, what they say and silly ruler goading his subjects to rebel against him.  Lord, we thank the that we are not as the Germans are!

Early in 1890 W. Des Voeux and to doubt, and was attended by Dr. aptly.  Great credit is due to disable that a cow for pulling him through, and we have particular reason to know and appreciate his worth.  He prescribed anal for the ailing governor, which succeeded so well patient was convinced it saved his life.  He waxed enthusiastic over Mel, and, carefully nursed a humor in he soon became a milky maniac.

Now was a philanthropist chance.  Can't we, it should not be forgotten, band from almost the first a prominent color of the dairy farm company limited.  He is no doubt actuated purely by philanthropic and hiking a consideration not for a moment would we, nor could anyone who knows him imagine but he has any other reason for supporting the dairy farm except the honest conviction is a great boon to the public an invaluable aid to help in this none too healthy colony.  But even the doctor can be too devoted; he cannot see that his hiking devotion to Mel, his milk fever if we may so call it, is being used as a source of profit the shareholders in the dairy company, who are simply on making money.  Is a joint stock limited liability company formed as a purely commercial enterprise, and in its tests the company's raison d'etre is plainly and baldly to be "to transact sense to earn dividends."

It is not a charitable institution, is where Dr. can't we need a mistake he was so full of medical philanthropy he see nothing else.  So he worked up or say a Des Voeux, as before remarked, got him to do a great favor to the limited liability company, to speculators and only on getting money. That happened, the particular favor asked constituted a breach of the law, a transfer of land in violation of the "crown lands ordinance" - in fact, a theft.

Also, happens that theft is not complete.  He been caught in the act, may be stopped-last the guardians of the law are handsomely remuneration or winking the other eye.

Sort be owed oh how much dairy farm company a lease of a plot to crown land corner of Wyndham Street and Ice House Lane, opposite calls college and the Hong Kong Telegraph office.  One of the conditions was to be a company should spend a certain amount of money in building on the ground, and when that was done they should have the lease.  This suspicious climax is due in about six weeks. The conditions are the illegal part of the business.  In to the land being put out public auction and not talent to the highest at a, provided the ordinance, and instead of keeping the land vacant breathing space, under the agreement made 14 years ago when surveyor price was came-in of doing either of these things, a land was to be quietly sneak company, for a nominal price of about $100 cash down and $416 per annum crown rent, 45,548 ft.² the to land in the heart of the city.  Was to be the rant as long as nothing but a milk business was to be done; a land where used for anything else, or rented by anybody else, it would be some $100 and $50 per annum more.  The transfer of public land was to be made as soon as the company built its offices oh permission was given temporary agreement. 

Now, therefore, agreement was a legal and cannot legally be considered binding; the property is to be disclosed up by the Crown, it must be disposed of by public auction; and the dairy company can buy at the auction, or make their own terms with any others who made by.  No government has a right to break the law in the interests commercial venture which is owned off as a work of philanthropy to benefit the entire community.

eg The original shows:

Early in 1890 Sir W. Des Voeux was sick unto death, and was attended by Dr. Cantlie. Great credit is due to this able medico ...

While the transcribed full text version reads:

Early in 1890 W. Des Voeux and to doubt, and was attended by Dr. aptly.  Great credit is due to disable that a cow ...

Voice recognition software.  You jumped in as I was proofreading it.  What do I do now :)

Interesting, I was guessing that it was OCR. Do you use it a lot? I tried around 10 years ago and didn't stick with it, but I hear it's got better.

If you post up the proof-read version in the next comment, and I'll go back and correct the first one then delete these follow-on comments.

Regards, David