BINTANG BETAWI Batavia (Jakarta) – Tuesday Edition, March 15, 1904
Description
Favoritism
The government has refused the permit of a company (kongsi[1]) that wanted to build an ice factory not far from the Stadsverband Hospital. The reason of this refusal is because it might cause too much noise and will disturb nearby patients. Whereas, at the same location, previously stood a factory which produced even more disturbing noise than an ice factory. Not only that, the government even gave permission to a Chinese businessman who set up a rice mill using a steam engine in a location that is even closer to the hospital. How unbelievably strange!
[1] Kongsi is a Hokkien transcription term meaning "company", especially businesses which have been incorporated. Kongsi were most commonly known as Chinese social organizations or partnerships, but the term was also used for various Chinese institutions.