PUBLIC HEALTH
141
Regular inspections are made by health inspectors of more than 7,000 premises licensed for the preparation or sale of food, and of some 117,000 domestic floors. Whenever pos- sible advice is given on personal and food hygiene. During the year 1,380 food samples were taken for bacteriological or chemical analysis, and over 31,000 lbs. of unwholesome food- stuffs were seized, or voluntarily surrendered, and destroyed. More than 44,000 public health nuisances were dealt with.
The retailing of fresh meat, fresh fish and poultry is restricted to public markets or to food-shops operating under licence. Only fresh meat from animals slaughtered in ap- proved abattoirs is permitted to be sold in markets and food- shops. Imported meat may be sold under special permit. In the Government abattoirs 720,009 pigs, 81,998 cattle, and 9,606 sheep and goats were slaughtered, and some 502 tons of dying or diseased animals were condemned during the
year.
A sub-committee of the Finance Committee of Legislative Council and a new Select Committee of the Urban Council were appointed to consider in detail the construction of a new Government abattoir at an estimated cost of over $20 million.
The By-Products Plant at the existing abattoir continued to operate satisfactorily, producing about 96 tons of meat and bone meal, 95 tons of animal grease and 1 ton of hoof and horn meal. The demand for the latter continues to exceed present supply. With a view to improving the yield of these products by better preservation of the available raw materials for processing, work on a refrigerated store for the plant will shortly be put in hand.
One retail market at Reclamation Street was demolished and is being replaced by a new market of modern design, which will also provide for the market stalls hitherto accom- modated on the site of the old Yaumati Market. The small retail market in Healthy Village, North Point, was demol- ished to enable the building of the Hong Kong Housing