105
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The Hung Hom, Shaukiwan and Aberdeen Slaughter-houses continue to be leased as formerly. The total numbers of animals slaughtered during the year are:-
Kennedy Town, Hung Hom,
....
Cattle. Sheep & Goats.
20,831
4,838
16,109
4,671
Swine.
168,940
24,887
Shaukiwan,
Aberdeen,....
Totals,
25,669
20,780
4
5,357
3,311
202,495
The following table shows the numbers of animals slaughtered during the past ten years:-
YEAR.
Cattle.
Sheep & Goats.
Swine.
1893
17,866
11,770
131,298
1894
16,898
10,937
125,725
1895
19,218
12,592
129,835
1896
19,546
14,693
129,103
1897
20,094
14,226
137,748
1898
21,541
15,956
153,485
1899
23,582
17,353
156,292
1900
23,939
18,364
165,760
1901
24,938
18,544
172,205
1902
25,669
20,780
202,495
Dairies and Cattle Sheds.
In May an outbreak of Rinderpest occurred at the Dairy Farm Company's premises at Sassoon's Villas and at Pokfulum. The disease was of a virulent type. The total number of animals in contact with the disease was 86, of these 39 did not take it, 24 took and died, 19 took it and recovered, and 4 were killed while suffering from the disease. This is the only outbreak of infectious disease recorded among the dairies and cow sheds for the year. All the dairies, and cow sheds have been regularly inspected and the general condition of the cow sheds and health of the animals has been very satisfac- tory. Goats are increasing in numbers and are being more used by Indians and Chinese as a source of milk supply. This may be due to the increased cost of buying and keeping cows, goats being much easier to feed and costing very much less to start with.
Markets.
Central Market. Owing to the scarcity of water for washing down purposes difficulty has been experienced in keeping the market perfectly tidy. The lighting of the ground floor of this market is hardly yet satisfactory and increasing business has made the rooms for dressing poultry too small to meet the wants of the poultry dealers.
Western Market.--A new Western Market is in progress. With the view of making more room in the market for the sale of perishable goods, the Board decided that the salt fish stalls should be converted into fresh fish, meat, or vegetable stalls, this decision to take effect at Chinese New Year 1903.
Saiyingpun Market.--This market is also congested but it is hoped that the erection of a tempo- rary market opposite the Sailors' Home will somewhat relieve this condition.
Sookonpo. The dividing wall between the two halves of this market has been removed and the roof supported on pillars. The stalls have been re-arranged and the market greatly improved. This market may now be regarded as sufficient to meet the wants of the district.
There is nothing worthy of remark in connection with any of the other markets within the City or on the Kowloon side.
In connection with the Markets I would like to call attention to the number of licensed hawkers. At the end of the quarter ending 31st December, there were 7,773 hawkers licensed. These men are allowed to sell, besides things not belonging to markets, vegetables and fruit. It may be that these men form a cheap source of food supply for the very poor, but since they buy from the dealers in the markets this is somewhat doubtful. In any case they entail a great deal of extra work to the Inspector of Markets. It is impossible for him to exercise a proper supervision over so many, and, paying no rent as they do, they compete unfairly with the market stall-holders. Besides in many cases these people are not hawkers in the ordinary sense of the term but squatters who take up a position on the side of the street and sit there all day to await customers.