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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I must, first of all, make it clear that the animal in question was an ox and not a buffalo. (Laughter). It did not escape from the Abattoir: it escaped from cattle drovers en route from the Cadogan Street pier to the cattle quarantine depot at Smithfield, Kennedy Town. It was soon recovered by the drovers and led to the quarantine depot.
The Urban Services Department is not responsible for cattle until they are on abattoir premises, but this question has been allowed as it was noted that in at least one newspaper it was reported that the animal escaped from the Kennedy Town Slaughterhouse and this question therefore provides a good opportunity to set the record straight.
In answer to the second part of the question, Members are aware that a new Abattoir has just been completed at Kennedy Town. Although the slaughtering of cattle was transferred to it from the old slaughterhouse at Smithfield on 1st August, the main cattle quarantine depot under the control of the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries will remain at Smithfield pending the completion of a new cattle quarantine station out-of-town. All incoming cattle from overseas countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand, particularly buffaloes from these sources, which are nervous and liable to become dangerous if alarmed, are now landed at the new cattle pier inside the Abattoir. Once on land they are transported only in specially constructed lorries. All precautions are taken and security is much improved as a result of specially constructed railings at the pier where the handling of these animals has been found to be much safer for both workers and staff. Apart from the better facilities in the Abattoir, there is also less noise and interference from traffic than at the old cattle pier on Cadogan Street.
The old pier has not yet been formally closed for the landing of animals as it is still required for the landing of pigs and sheep/goats destined for the old Kennedy Town Slaughterhouse which will continue to operate until October 16th.
DR. WOO: Mr. Chairman, will you permit supplementary questions on this question?
CHAIRMAN: ----If they are relevant.
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DR. Woo:—Mr. Chairman, am I right in thinking that, in future, all animals will be landed directly onto the pier at the new abattoir?
CHAIRMAN: --Eventually, this is so.
DR. Woo:—Mr. Chairman, you mention specially constructed lorries. Are these lorries running about in the abattoir?
CHAIRMAN: -I do not think they are. You mean the new abattoir?
DR. WOO: -Yes. You mention in your answer “Once on land they are transported only in specially constructed lorries".
CHAIRMAN: Yes, but not by the Urban Services Department.
DR. WOO: -But where are these lorries running, inside the abattoir?
CHAIRMAN: --From Cadogan pier to the old slaughterhouse and to the quarantine depot.
DR. Woo: No, Sir, you are not answering my question. "All incoming cattle from overseas are landed at the pier inside the abattoir. Once they are landed they are transported by lorry". Are these lorries operating inside the abattoir?
CHAIRMAN: -No, if they are landed at the new pier, they go straight inside the new abattoir.
DR. Woo: -I do not understand your answer, Mr. Chairman.
MR. WANG: -I think in the case of buffaloes, which I said are very dangerous if alarmed, they can be landed at the Cadogan Street pier or at the abattoir piers. They have to be transported in specially constructed lorries.
DR. Woo: -In view of the middle part of your answer "All incoming cattle from overseas countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand, particularly buffaloes from these sources, which are nervous and liable to become dangerous if alarmed, are now landed at the new cattle pier inside the abattoir". Once on land, I presume they are inside the abattoir. They are transported only in specially constructed lorries. That was the answer given to me.
MR. WANG: -Yes, but I think there is still a slight distance between the pier and the railings for the buffaloes.
DR. WOO: -But I am asking if the lorries are operating inside the abattoir?
CHAIRMAN: -I will have to look into this, Dr. Woo, because my understanding is that they go from the pier straight into the abattoir.
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