Sibu Tales : Ta Fong Aerated Water

 

Sibu in the olden days depended on motor launches to transport goods to the villages and little shops (many were set up by the Sarawak Cooperative Department to train the local ) which dotted along the Rajang River. There were then no major roads to serve the people.

Many Sibu, Bintanor and Sarikei enterprises even owned motor launches to transport their goods to smaller places like Julau, Kanowit, Matu, Mukah, Balingian,etc 

Ta Fong Aerated Water Company for example had this motor launch (shown in the photo) to carry all its crates of aerated water to all the villages and little riverine shops, including some longhouses. The motor launch also acted as a distributing and advertising agent. If the boat had to go o long journeys, the boat driver, and the assistants could stay onboard. There was a kitchen at the back and sleeping platforms for them.

Each crate or wooden box would contain 72 small bottles or 36 big bottles of aerated water. There were several flavours: cherry, orange, cream soda, banana and sarsi.

The factory would pack only one flavour in the crate, or upon request, mixed flavours. These crates were very recyclable too. I remember my aunt would clean up one crate and put her toddler in it while she was busy working in the kitchen. It was very sturdy and safe for the child.

It was amazing some of the Foochow men were so strong that they could lift one whole crate containing 36 big bottles on their shoulders. I had even seen some men running along the village paths with a crate on their shoulder. They were really tough men.

In those days four wheel trolleys were never seen at all in the villages.

A wedding with an invitation list of 100 guests would call for 5 crates at least of the soft drinks as many children would accompany their parents for the feast.

The empty bottles would be put back into the crates and returned to the boat/factory. I cannot remember how many bottles we had to return to get a full bottle in exchange. 

This was probably one of my many experiences of recycling. We children would go around looking for those soft drinks bottles and bring them to the aerated water factory at Central Road, and collect some cash or get some bottles of soft drinks to take home.