Sessional_Paper_1905 — Page 122

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The figures given for Shaukiwan and Aberdeen are supplied by the contractor for the privelege of slaughtering animals in these Slaughter-houses and there is no official check upon them.

The following table shows the numbers of animals slaughtered during the past ten years :-

YEAR.

Cattle.

Sheep & Goats.

Swine.

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

1903

28,335

22,918

187,265

1904

30,829

23,736

181,046

year.

DAIRIES AND CATTLE SHEDS.

Regular inspection of Cowsheds and Dairies was carried on throughout the

There were no outbreaks of infectious disease among milch cattle.

In last year's annual report I mentioned a condition that I had observed amon g European cows in the Colony and stated that it had many symptomatic features in common with human malaria and that quinine had proved an effective agent in its cure. At that time the cause of the condition had not been ascertained. I am pleased to say that when another opportunity for the further study of this condi- tion presented itself, which it did among some recently imported European cattle, Dr. HUNTER, who kindly assisted me, and myself were able to find a parasite in the red blood corpuscles of these cows. This parasite closely resembled if indeed it was not identical with the Pirosoma Bigemium which is the cause of Texas Fever in cattle. A fuller report on this condition is incorporated with a report on Hæmorrhagic Septecaemia in Cattle already submitted to Government by Dr. HUNTER and myself.

MARKETS.

Very little worthy of note has occurred in the Markets throughout the year. Central Market. Fish tanks on the ground floor in the middle avenne have been erected and occupied and the space formerly occupied by the tanks is being let to wholesale vegetable dealers.

.

Western Market.-This Market is still overcrowded. A new Western Market is being built which will go a long way towards improving the present unsatis- factory state of affairs,

Sai Ying Pun Market. This Market is also crowded and its construction makes it difficult to clean.

Wanchai Market.-An addition to this Market has been completed and occu- pied during the year and is being well patronised. This addition has made it possible to do away with the meat shops in the immediate neighbourhood and get the meat supply under better control.

Des Voeux Road Market.-This Market has not thriven as was at first antici- pated and as it stands is practically a failure. In order to ameliorate this condition the Board decided, on the recommendation of His Excellency the Governor, to cancel all existing food licences in the Central Districts of the town.

Nothing specially noteworthy occurred in the other Markets of Hongkong or Kowloon.

As pointing out how unsatisfactory are the Western and Sai Ying Pun Mar- kets, 19 plague infected rats were found in the Western Market and 12 plague infected rats in the Sai Ying Pun Market during the year. There were no infected rats found in any of the other Markets.