TNAG-0468-FCO40-533-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 14

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C.S. 41A

布政司署

香港下亞畢道

**** OUR REF.: (90) in Econ 1/2541/59

來函檔號 Your ReF.:

LAST

KEF

wear Miss Kelly,

REF.

AIRMAII,

6f

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

27th February 1974

In your letter of 11th February you sought

our advice on the terms of a suitable reply to a letter from Mr. Anthony Grant M.P. about a constituent request for information of the way cattle are slaughtered in Hong Kong.

2.

The straightforward answer is that cattle are humanely despatched in Hong Kong and the captive bolt pistol method is employed. After slaughter the heads are severed from the carcases during the dressing process. The severed heads are often taken away to the butchers' shops and market stalls as they remove the brains for human consumpt- ion, mostly in restaurants where it is considered a delicacy. It is likely that the cow's head, referred to in the radio programme which Mrs. 0.M. Hume heard, had been discarded by one of the smaller market meat stalls and was awaiting collection.

3.

Hong Kong's legislation governing the slaughtering of animals is attached at Appendix A.

Jout fervery,

Hugh Audly

(H.G. Ardley)

for Secretary for Economic Services

Miss P.M. Kelly,

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept., F.C.O., London SW1.

HGA: aw