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SLAUGHTER HOUSES.
5. Victoria.-Since June last an extra watchman has been stationed here, making three in all. By this addition I have been able to arrange for each of these men to have 8 hours continuous duty daily instead of 12 as before which was much too long. I have already specially reported to the Board upon the proposed new slaughter house at Kennedy Town, (see Report dated July 8th) and I hope before long to see the buildings in hand, the present premises being very cramped and inconvenient in every respect.
6. Hung Hom.--A new slaughter house for the peninsula of Kowloon has been erected at the above village, in place of the old one at Yaumati. It was completed and handed over to the Sanitary Depart- ment in July and so far meets all requirements. It is situated on the sea front within about a quarter of a mile of the western entrance to Hung Hom village and comprises cattle, sheep and swine lairs, attached to which under the same roof are the slaughter houses; all openings between the two being commanded by solid doors. A separate slaughter house for the use of Indians has been also provided. The tripery, cook house, quarters, office, manure pit and latrine appear to be all that is necessary and furnish reasonable accommodation. In the lairs provision is made for from 16 to 20 head of cattle, 15 sheep or goats, and about 60 pigs. The floor area of the cattle and sheep slaughter house is 750 square feet providing for the slaughtering of five bullocks at once. A boiler is conveniently situated in one corner of the building. The floor area of the pig slaughter house is 750 square feet providing for the slaughtering of 30 pigs at once. Three boilers are placed in this building for the purpose of heating water to be used in dressing the carcasses. The floor area of the Indian slaughter house is 170 square feet. It is fitted with one boiler. has a separate entrance, and appears to meet all requirements. The water supply is obtained from a well which is situated a short distance outside the compound. An Indian watchinan is stationed here. The hours fixed for slaughtering are 1 A.M. to 6 A.M., 11 A.M. to noon, 2.30 P.M. to 5 P.M. daily.
7. Shaukiwan.-No proper slaughter house has yet been erected in this village, but I hope in course of time to see this done.
The total number of animals slaughtered in the three buildings during the past year is as follows:-
Cattle.
Victoria, ......15,732
Hung Hom, ... 2,208
Shaukiwan,
240
Total, ...18,180
Sheep. 10,750
10,750
Goats.
...
821
821
Swine.
114,402
7,254
5,110
126,766
8. These figures show a steady increase in the consumption of animal food year by year, in the number of swine especially. For 1892 an increase of 3.11 per cent. upon the previous year is shown, this fact pointing to a very considerable addition to the native population during that period. Since the year 1888 the number of swine slaughtered annually at the City Slaughter House alone show an increase of 20 per cent. with other animals in like proportion.
DAIRIES.
9. The dairies of the Colony are at present in a very satisfactory condition, the sanitary arrangements of which are carefully carried out under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors stationed in the various Health Districts. During the past year no serious cases of disease have occurred in any of these places, and this can only be viewed as being highly satisfactory, more especially when it is well known that Rinderpest or Cattle Plague has been unusually prevalent during this period the whole of the way up the coast or say from Canton to Japan.
10. I believe I am correct in stating that at Kobe the supply of milk was cut off entirely owing to the ravages of this disease amongst the cows. There is nothing to prevent a similar outbreak in Hongkong sooner or later unless something is done to provide a proper Inspection Lair to which all cattle should be driven direct upon landing, there to remain at least 12 hours before being inspected and passed into the permanent depôts or elsewhere. This is the method adopted in the United Kingdom and other countries and even then occasional cases of disease escape detection and so cause wide spreading outbreaks which are difficult to check: hence it will be easy to understand the risk run here with no inspection lairs at all. I reported to the Board upon the danger thus incurred as far back as 1888.
MARKETS.
11. The Central, Western, Taipingshan, Saiyingpoon, Shektongsui, Wanchai, Sokonpoo, Shaukiwan, Yaumati and Hung Hom Markets are all in a good state of repair and amendment; most of the stalls in each (with the exception of Taipingshan) are let, and the general routine work has gone on without interruption. The watchmen from the Central and Western Markets were withdrawn in the month of June, and transferred to the City Slaughter House where it was considered that their services would be more useful.