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Colonial Veterinary Surgeon's Report for the year 1899.
SANITARY BOARD OFFICES,
HONGKONG, 10th March, 1900.
SIR, I have the honour to submit herewith for the information of the Sanitary Board this my Annual Report for the year ending December 31st, 1899.
REPORT.
IMPORTATION OF LIVE STOCK.
The epidemic of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in the adjacent provinces, which was mentioned in my Annual Report for 1898, appears to have now run its course and died out.
During the greater part of the year Rinderpest or Cattle Plague was epidemic in the provinces of Kwang Tung and Kwang Si, and killed off large numbers of animals, causing a scarcity amongst them and higher prices: the supply in many instances being only just equal to the demand. Out- breaks of Rinderpest also occurred in several of the Hongkong Dairies, this being referred to in detail under the heading of “ Dairies.”
I am of opinion that the chief source of infection in these outbreaks was due to straw which was brought from infected districts in the Extension, which is a further argument in favour of dealing with all such epidemics in the New Territory.
Piracy in Chinese Waters. Much loss has been recently sustained by Hongkong cattle dealers and butchers through piracies of cattle upon the West and North Rivers. In several instances whole junk loads of cattle have been seized and carried off by pirates, without any chance of redress to the unfortunate owners. In fact the importation of animals from Linchow, whence many of the best cattle come, has been recently stopped altogether for this reason.
All this necessarily tends to increased prices in the Hongkong markets, and the uncertainty of our supplies from these sources is another strong reason why the development of cattle-breeding in our own territory should be encouraged as much as possible.
The Extension. There is ample scope in the New Territory for much to be done in the way of promoting the breeding of cattle and swine. With a little encouragement and assistance from the Government, and under proper and constant supervision with the view of preventing or mitigating infectious or contagious animal diseases, the Extension should in a very short time produce sufficient animals, both cattle and swine, to enable the Colony to be self-supporting in this respect, instead of being as at present almost entirely dependent upon outside sources, which might be cut off at any
The breeding of swine in a large way might be taken up with advantage by private indiví duals, but this could not very well be done in the matter of cattle, there being no extensive grazing grounds in the New Territory.
Nearly the whole of this area is dotted over with small peasant holdings, so to speak, the pro- prietors of which each cultivate a few fields of rice, together with small plots of sweet potatoes. All of these people understand the rearing of cattle and they would gladly avail themselves of the oppor- tunities offered, but from conversations which I bave had with many of them it appears that they are prevented from so doing by want of capital, and also want of example in making a beginning.
Once given a start, each of these small holders could easily and profitably rear one or two bullocks for the Hongkong market, and in course of time the whole of the beef supply of the Colony could so be drawn from the Extension, instead of from Kwang Tung, Kwang Si, Tonquin, and other places as at present-all of which are under foreign control.
It appears to me that the first assistance from the Government to these people might be arranged somewhat upon the following lines. Let the Government purchase a number of calves at a cost of about $10 each, and distribute them in the various districts through the head-men of the villages to deserving persons therein: giving one, or at most two calves to each-these individuals being bound by agreement to raise the animals for the Hongkong market and undertaking to refund the cost price of the calf (with a small percentage added if thought advisable) to the Government upon the sale of the full grown animal.
As my experience of Chinese leads me to believe that the only successful manner of teaching them is by means of an object lesson, some such scheme (even if they could find the requisite capital) is necessary to introduce the system, and once started it would work itself. I do not see that there is any inducement to capitalists to take up cattle-breeding in the New Territory for the reasons above mentioned, but by means of Government assistance to small holders (either by loan or otherwise) much good might result.
In order to be in a position to properly supervise the Extension, my staff should be increased by three Inspectors of Live Stock, and three Interpreters.
These men should be stationed at Tái-pó, Ping Shán or Un Loong, and Sai Kung or Kowloon City respectively, and should each be allowed a pony for conveyance.
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