Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 391

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Their principal duties would be to visit the whole of their districts as often as possible and investigate and report upon all outbreaks of animal disease which might come under their notice, to assist in regulating the passage of animals from place to place, to see that the carcases of all animals which died from disease were properly buried and not dressed and offered for sale as human food (which would certainly be done if there were no supervision), to attend to the segregation of all diseased animals, to encourage the breeding of cattle and swine as much as possible, to assist in any inoculation operations which might be considered necessary, and to carry out other instructions which might be issued from time to time by the Government. Later on they would be available to supervise such markets as may be established.

As intelligent reliable men would be required to efficiently perform the above duties, their pay and rank should be at least equal to that of the 1st Class Sanitary Inspectors. These appointments should be made at once in order that no time may be lost in getting in touch with the people concerned. Given the above additions to the Veterinary Staff and a properly equipped laboratory, I am of opinion that any outbreaks of Rinderpest which might occur in the various districts, could then be promptly dealt with, and quickly stamped out with comparatively small loss, instead of being allowed to spread over the whole territory, as has hitherto been the case.

According to information gathered from the villagers in the different districts, they admit an average loss from Rinderpest of 20% amongst their cattle during the past year, and from my knowledge of the ravages made by this disease, I have no doubt that it far exceeded that amount.

ANIMAL DEPÔTS.

With the exception of a few cases of Rinderpest and Foot-and-Mouth Disease, the general health of the animals housed therein during the year was good.

The total number of cattle admitted at Kennedy Town was 20,883, and at the Hung Hom depôt 4,107.

come.

In the swine depôt at Kennedy Town 143,735 animals were admitted.

26,231 sheep and goats were housed at the Kennedy Town Depôt during the year.

SLAUGHTER HOUSES.

Victoria and Hung Hom.-Both these buildings will meet all requirements for some time to

Since the abolition of the Watchmen at the Kennedy Town Slaughter House on March 18th, 1899, the entire charge of these premises has devolved upon the Inspector in Charge of the. Animal depôts, the nonopoly of slaughtering animals being again leased out to a Chinese Contractor.

As I mentioned in my Annual Report for the year 1898, there is no doubt whatever in my own mind that in order to maintain a complete check upon the main source of the meat supply of the Colony, this slaughter house to be properly and efficiently managed should be under the immediate control of the Government, and not farmed out to a private individual.

Shaukiwan and Aberdeen.—No proper slaughter house has yet been provided for either of these two places, although section 8 of Ordinance 17 of 1887 reads that "a sufficient number of fit and proper slaughter houses to meet the requirements of the Colony shall be provided by the Government.

I first drew the attention of the Board to this matter as far back as 1890 in my Annual Report. The question of establishing slaughter houses in various parts of the New Territory will have to be considered by the Government at no very distant date, although there does not appear to be any immediate pressing necessity.

The total number of animals slaughtere.I at Kennedy Town, Hung Hom, Shaukiwan, and Aber- deen for the year ending December 31st, 1899, was as follows:--

District of Slaughter-house.

Kennedy Town,

Hung Hom,..

Shaukiwan,

Aberdeen,

Total,......

Number of

Cattle.

Number of Sheep and

Goats.

Number of Swine.

19,475 4,107

16,711

133,775

642

17,131

3,978

-

1,408

23,552

17,353

156,292

In order to show the large increase in the annual number of animals slaughtere1, 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.