314
I here quote an extract from my annual report for the year 1892:—
"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 directly 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 which is run here with no Inspection Lair at all.
I reported to the Board upon the danger thus incurred as far back as 1888."
DEPÔTS.
With the exception of the outbreak referred to above, the health of the animals housed in the depôts was good. The total number of cattle admitted into the depôt at Kennedy Town was 19,357 ; of these 147 head were rejected as unfit for slaughtering purposes, whilst at the Kowloon cattle depôt 2,243 animals were admitted, and 119 rejected.
In the swine depôt at Kennedy Town 125,650 animals were admitted, and at the Kowloon depôt 12,726 were passed in. 25,977 sheep were also housed at Kennedy Town depôt during the year, and 592 at Kowloon.
SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.
Victoria and Kowloon.--These two buildings are both in a good state of repair and amendment and will meet all requirements for some time to come.
Shaukiwan. This slaughter-house is still a temporary matshed erection, although as far back as 890 I recommended that a suitable building be erected in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 of Ordinance No. 17 of 1887.
Aberdeen--is still without a proper slaughter-house, yet in my report for 1890 I remember recommending that a permanent building be erecte: at Aberdeen to meet the requirements of this place, Aplichau, and Little Hong Kong.
The total number of animals slaughtered for the year ending December 31, 1897, at Kennedy Town, Kowloon, Shaukiwan, and Aberdeen was as follows:-
District of Slaughter-house.
Kennedy Town,
Kowloon,
Shaukiwan,
Aberdeen,
Total,.
Number of Number of Number of
Cattle.
Sheep.
Swine.
17,970
13,634
119,463
2,124
592
12,726
3,783
1,776
20,094
14,226
137,748
In order to show the large increase in the number of animals slaughtered each year since I took over the charge of these places in 1887, I insert a list giving the total number for the past 10 years. The decrease in the number of swine killed during the year 1894, I attribute to the Plague epidemic of that year, and it will be seen that its effects may also be traced into the two following years. From the number of swine slaughtered during the past year it may be inferred that the native population has considerably increased of late.
Annual list of animals slaughtered for the past ten years, from 1888 to 1897.
Year.
Cattle.
Sheep.
Swine.
1888,.. 1889.
15,972
9,420
117,432
17,863
10,110
119,856
1890,
18,519
10,091
123,833
1891.
18,218
9,673
122,942
1892,
18,180
11,571
126,766
1893,
17,866
11,770
131,298
1894,
16,898
10,937
125,725
1895,
19,218
12,592
129,035
1896,
19,546
14,693
129,103
....
1897,
20,094
14,226
137,748
Total.....
182,374
115,083
1,263,738
* This refers to an outbreak of rinderpest at Kobe when the milk supply of that settlement was entirely cut off.