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The following are the number of each class of stock slaughtered under direct inspection during the year, Ist April, 1915, to 31st March, 1916: Cattle, 308,305; calves, 33,770; sheep, 3,731,643; lambs, 4,065,100; swine, 169,715. With the exception of lambs, .which shows a decrease of 370,781, the above figures show an increase in the number of each class of stock slaughtered under inspection when compared with the figures for the previous year. The numbers in excess are: Cattle, 25,088, calves, 6,689; sheep, 37,400; swine, 19,225. The following table indicates the destination of the dressed carcases, those animals slaughtered at abattoirs being principally for local consumption, and those slaughtered at meat-export slaughterhouses being, except in the case of swine, principally for export:— ...,.,. At Meat-export At BaconAt Abattoirs. „, uj. v t i • Slaughterhouse?'. tactorios. Cattle ... ... ... 96,974 211,331 Calves ... ... ... 19,465 14,305 Sheep ... ... ... 583,728 3,147,915 Lambs ... ... ... 95,654 3,969,446 Swine ... ... ... 50,430 23,191 96,094 At ordinary slaughterhouses the stock killed was as follows: Cattle, 61,342; calves, 1,604;. sheep, 286,935; lambs, 25,985; swine, 16,642. in addition to the above, 32,684 carcases of pigs were killed and dressed by farmers under the exemption clause of the Act, and the dressed carcases were inspected in butchers' shops and small bacon-factories. Meat-supplies for the Imperial Government. The Imperial meat-supply scheme, under which all meat available for export was purchased by the New Zealand Government for shipment to the Imperial Government, has necessitated a considerable widening of the duties of the officers engaged in meat-inspection work. Under peace conditions the duties of Inspectors of export meat were confined to the inspection of meat from a health standpoint, combined with the exercise of control over the export of inferior meat likely to prove unfit for sale after more or less prolonged freezing followed by defrostation. The course of action adopted in order to place export meat at the disposal of the Imperial Government necessitated that the responsible officer at each meat-export slaughterhouse should be entrusted with the responsibility of certifying that the meat-shipments invoiced to the Government were of the quality described in the shipping documents. Considering the weight of the responsibility suddenly thrown upon the shoulders of the various officers concerned, this duty has been carried out remarkably well. There were plenty of openings for serious difficulties, as each export company had its own system of grading, and all grades of all companies had to be fitted to the necessarily new classes in the purchasing schedule. But no serious difficulties arose, a general desire being shown by the companies to "play the game," and each point arising and necessitating decision has been settled amicably upon what 1 believe were its true merits. Details of the procedure adopted and the conditions under which export meat was taken over were set forth in the New Zealand Gazette Extraordinary (No. 32), dated the 3rd March, 1915. This procedure necessitated that practically the whole responsibility of the purchase of the meat and the prices paid for each grade of each company rested upon the officers of the Division, and sufficient evidence of the manner in which the work has been done is afforded by the fact that no adverse criticism of any kind has been received from those responsible for the handling of the meat in London. Inspection of Household Milk-supplies. A further improvement has been effected in the structural and sanitary conditions of dairyfarm buildings, and careful supervision kept over the health of milking-cows, Every effort is made to keep the herds clear of cows suffering from disease and whose milk is likely to be in any way contaminated, the extensive powers in this direction given to Inspectors under the Stock Act and the Dairy Industry Act enabling this to be done without difficulty whenever necessity arises. Lately it became necessary to prosecute certain persons for sending into the city supplies of milk from unregistered dairies. Convictions were obtained, and it is anticipated that this action will have a good effect. Dairy-farmers now more fully realize the necessity for cleanly methods in the collection and handling of milk, and a distinct improvement in this direction has taken place during the past few years. Inspection op Slaughterhouses. The slaughterhouses throughout the Dominion generally are in a satisfactory condition, and a very considerable number of new buildings have been erected in accordance with the requirements of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act. Inspections have been carried out as regularly as possible, though there has been a considerable shortage of staff consequent upon war conditions. The Laboratory. Owing to the shortage of staff resulting from war conditions no original research work has been initiated, unless necessitated by the appearance of unusual and not clearly understood trouble among live-stock. This has enabled the concentration of the energies of the remaining