Page 76 of 118
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :-
"These questions concern matters connected with the local Abattoirs.
1. I am well aware that at both abattoirs butchers sustain considerable losses annually as the result of diseased meat being condemned as unfit for human consumption and destroyed. Records show that last year there were just under 360 tons of dead pigs and approximately 535 tons of condemned pork carcases, parts and offal. Yet the number of pig carcases condemned (9,795) was less than 1% of the total slaughter. I do not think that it is fully realized in Hong Kong that pig business here is big business. The estimated value last year of the 1,055,186 pigs slaughtered was in the region of $200,000,000. The value of the condemned pigs, etc. was probably around $2 million or 1% of the cash value of the slaughter. The answer to this problem of condemned meat does not, however, lie in Government making arrangements for compensation, but in the pig dealers being more careful in the choice of the pigs they buy. On arrival at the Abattoirs, some of the animals undoubtedly already have the diseases which cause them to be condemned but generally this is not known until post-mortem inspection is carried out. Nevertheless, dealers are well aware that the condemnation rate is higher for pigs from certain areas than for others. It is true that some of the condemned material is converted at the Kennedy Town By-Products Plant into grease for industrial use and into animal feed, but successful as this By-Products Plant has been, it is nevertheless only a pilot plant and is unable to deal with the vast amount of material available. In fact, 60% of this material is still disposed of by wet digestion and incineration at Government expense. The small revenue derived from by-products has helped, in any case, to stabilize the Slaughterhouse fee at its present low level of $2 per pig. This fee has been in force, without increase, since 1947.
2. As already stated, the most effective way of reducing losses is for the dealers to be more selective at the sources from which they buy their pigs. To introduce a system of compensation as suggested by you would have the opposite effect.
3. The fee of $2 is for services rendered at the Slaughterhouse (accommodation, light and water, stunning, inspection and transport). Animals found, after slaughter, to be diseased and unfit for human consumption entail the same, if not more, work than fit ones. I therefore do not consider this charge as unreasonable in the case of unfit animals and cannot recommend that it be refunded to the butchers concerned.
4. At present, there are more meat vans in service than ever before. The total fleet consists of 24 vehicles, of which 10 are brand new. Of these, 19 are now normally in service (as against 15 last year)—10 in Kowloon and 9 in Hong Kong. I understand that as a result recently of my staff having the active co-operation at Kennedy Town of the Butchers' Guild, arrangements for loading vans have considerably improved and that there should now be no need for anyone to queue up for this purpose.
5. At both Kennedy Town and Ma Tau Kok, there are 8 Inspectors and 3 Trainees—in addition to the Inspector who is in charge of the Slaughterhouse. Normally, there are 6 Inspectors on the task of meat inspection at each abattoir and in the existing crowded and outmoded premises, this is the maximum number who can be usefully employed. Any more would merely be in the way.
I think that the conditions now existing not only at Kennedy Town but also at Ma Tau Kok are only too well-known to Members (as well as to myself) and that there is no need for me to dwell upon them. All I will say is that everyone concerned with the Slaughterhouses is fully alive to their shortcomings and does whatever he can to improve conditions there. It is an uphill and thankless task and I have nothing but praise for the staff who have to work there under most trying and unsatisfactory conditions and who, in spite of all, continue their efforts to improve matters. Some 1,200,000 animals pass through these abattoirs in a year and conditions will, I fear, remain far from ideal in spite of all the endeavours of the staff. The real remedy will come only when the new Abattoirs are built but, in the meantime, efforts will be intensified to reduce any nuisance to the minimum.'
DR. BELL:-May I ask a supplementary question, please, Mr. Chairman. What is wet digestion?
CHAIRMAN:-Wet digestion is putting condemned materials into a two-ton pressure cooker, adding water and cooking under a pressure of 40 lbs. per square inch for 7 hours in each case. At the end of that period we have a sterile pulp which is sent to the refuse dump.
137
Page 76 of 118
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136
Page 76 of 118
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :-
"These questions concern matters connected with the local
Abattoirs.
1. I am well aware that at both abattoirs butchers sustain considerable losses annually as the result of diseased meat being condemned as unfit for human consumption and destroyed. Records show that last year there were just under 360 tons of dead pigs and approximately 535 tons of condemned pork carcases, parts and offal. Yet the number of pig carcases condemned (9,795) was less than 1% of the total slaughter. I do not think that it is fully realized in Hong Kong that pig business here is big business. The estimated value last year of the 1,055,186 pigs slaughtered was in the region of $200,000,000. The value of the condemned pigs, etc. was probably around $2 million or 1% of the cash value of the slaughter. The answer to this problem of condemned meat does not, however, lie in Government making arrangements for compensation, but in the pig dealers being more careful in the choice of the pigs they buy. On arrival at the Abattoirs, some of the animals undoubtedly already have the diseases which cause them to be condemned but generally this is not known until post-mortem inspection is carried out. Nevertheless, dealers are well aware that the condemnation rate is higher for pigs from certain areas than for others. It is true that some of the con- demned material is converted at the Kennedy Town By- Products Plant into grease for industrial use and into animal feed, but successful as this By-Products Plant has been, it is nevertheless only a pilot plant and is unable to deal with the vast amount of material available. In fact, 60% of this material is still disposed of by wet digestion and incineration at Government expense. The small revenue derived from by-products has helped, in any case, to stabilize the Slaughterhouse fee at its present low level of $2 per pig. This fee has been in force, without increase, since 1947.
2.
As already stated, the most effective way of reducing losses is for the dealers to be more selective at the sources from which they buy their pigs. To introduce a system of compensation as suggested by you would have the opposite effect.
The fee of $2 is for services rendered at the Slaughter- house (accommodation, light and water, stunning, inspec- tion and transport). Animals found, after slaughter, to
3.
4.
5.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
137
be discased and unfit for human consumption entail the same, if not more, work than fit ones. I therefore do not consider this charge as unreasonable in the case of unfit animals and cannot recommend that it be refunded to the butchers concerned.
At present, there are more meat vans in service than ever before. The total fleet consists of 24 vehicles, of which 10 are brand new. Of these, 19 are now normally in service (as against 15 last year)-10 in Kowloon and 9 in Hong Kong. I understand that as a result recently of my staff having the active co-operation at Kennedy Town of the Butchers' Guild, arrangements for loading vans have considerably improved and that there should now be no need for anyone to queue up for this purpose.
At both Kennedy Town and Ma Tau Kok, there are 8 Inspectors and 3 Trainees-in addition to the Inspector who is in charge of the Slaughterhouse. Normally, there are 6 Inspectors on the task of meat inspection at each abattoir and in the existing crowded and outmoded premises, this is the maximum number who can be use- fully employed. Any more would merely be in the way.
I think that the conditions now existing not only at Kennedy Town but also at Ma Tau Kok are only too well-known to Members (as well as to myself) and that there is no need for me to dwell upon them. All I will say is that everyone concerned with the Slaughterhouses is fully alive to their shortcomings and does whatever he can to improve conditions there. It is an uphill and thankless task and I have nothing but praise for the staff who have to work there under most trying and unsatis- factory conditions and who, in spite of all, continue their efforts to improve matters. Some 1,200,000 animals pass through these abattoirs in a year and conditions will, I fear, remain far from ideal in spite of all the endeavours of the staff. The real remedy will come only when the new Abattoirs are built but, in the meantime, efforts will be intensified to reduce any nuisance to the minimum.'
DR. BELL:-May I ask a supplementary question, please, Mr. Chairman. What is wet digestion?
CHAIRMAN: -Wet digestion is putting condemned materials into a two-ton pressure cooker, adding water and cooking under a pressure of 40 lbs. per square inch for 7 hours in each case. At the end of that period we have a sterile pulp which is sent to the refuse dump.
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