Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 586

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The following Table shows numbers of animals slaughtered in the Colony during the past ten years :—

Year.

Cuttle.

Sheep and Goats.

Swing.

1898.

21,541

15,955

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

1905,

26,758

19,774

186,059

1906,

27,141

16,403

200,586

1907...

27,631

18,279

206,124

DAIRIES AND COWSHEDS.

The epidemic of Hæmorrhagic Septicemia mentioned in the annual report for 1906 was still going on during the early part of the year, and appeared to be of a milder type towards the end of the epidemic. In the last outbreak which occurred in March there no deaths. No direct evidence was obtained that the biting flies Stomoxys (Colcitrans?) was responsible for the carrying on of the disease but in view of the fact that there was a probability that these flies might easily act as mechinical carriers of the disease, the new sheds fitted at the Dairy Farm are enclosed with flyproof gauze.

were

Nothing noteworthy occurred in the other dairies in the Colony.

MARKETS AND FOOD SHOPS.

Nothing noteworthy occurred in the Markets.

Old Western Market. -The condition of this market appears to be little if at all alleviated by the addition of the New Market. It is still in an unsatisfactory and insanitary condition.

The importation of frozen beef and mutton for the year were 336,267 b. and 297,645 b. respectively. The Dairy Farm Company are the only importers.

ORDINANCE No. 15 of 1903.

Under this Ordinance 159 visits of inspection were paid to ships leaving the Colony with cattle on board and certificates of fitness to carry cattle were granted.

In November a case of Anthrax was discovered in a lot of cattle going down to Manila. In order to prevent any risk of the importation of Anthrax or other infections disease into Manila, the Manila Government suggested that all cattle going from Hongkong should be kept seven days under observation here. This has been done but unfortunately it has led to a good deal of overcrowding in the Kennedy Town Cattle Depôt, the numbers there now overnight being about 200 in excess of our usual average.