275
I called the attention of the Sanitary Board to this matter as far back as 1890 in my Annual Report.
There is no doubt in my mind whatever that, in order to maintain a complete check upon the main source of the meat supply of the Colony, the Slaughter House at Kennedy Town to be properly and efficiently managed should be under the immediate control of the Government and not leased out to a private individual as at present.
To prevent the slaughter of pigs in the roast pork shops of the Colony, which at present prevails to a considerable extent, it is necessary to amend Section 12 of Ordinance 17 of 1887 as pointed out to the Board in my letter dated 14th June, 1898.
The total number of animals slaughtered at Kennedy Town, Kowloon, Shaukiwan and Aberdeen for the year ending December 31st, 1898, was as follows :—
District of Slughter-house.
Kennedy Town,
Hung Hom,.....
Shaukiwan,
Aberdeen,
Total,........
Number of Cattle.
Number of Sheep and
Number of
Swine.
Goats.
20,512 1,029
15,399 557
132,034
15,154
+
4,043
2,254
21,541
15,956
153,485
In order to show the large increase in the annual number of animals slaughtered I insert below a list giving the total for the past ten 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.
The number of swine slaughtered during the past two years points to a considerable increase in the native population of the Colony during that period.
Annual list of animals slaughtered for the past ten years, from 1889 to 1898.
Year.
Cattle.
Sheep and
Swine.
Goats.
1889,
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
1898,
21,541
15,956
153,485
Total,.
187,943
121,619
1,299,791
DAIRIES.
During the year two outbreaks of infectious disease occurred in the dairies of the Colony.
On February 28th Rinderpest or Cattle Plague broke out at the Sassoon's Villa" premises of the Dairy Farm Company at Pokfulum. Most of the European breeds of cattle died, but fortunately the measures taken prevented the spread of the disease elsewhere.
I may mention in connection with this outbreak that I had an opportunity of treating the last case which occurred with serum prepared by myself, and am pleased to record that the animal recovered under the treatment.