H.—29

Cattle. —The cattle enumeration taken in January, 1918, showed an increase of 294,235 head as compared with that of the previous year. The following table shows the numbers of the respective classes :—

Swine. —The number of swine in the Dominion as revealed by the last enumeration showed a further marked reduction, a perusal of the figures for the last four years indicating a steady decrease. The figures arc as follows : 1911,348,754; 1916,297,501; 1917,283,770; 1918,258,694. Horses. —An enumeration of the horses in the Dominion taken in January, 1918, showed an increase of 4,450 as compared with tin; previous year, the figures being 378,050 and 373,600 respectively. Slaughter op Stock for Export. The arrangement whereby all beef, mutton, and lamb available for export is purchased by the Imperial Government has continued, and the later arrangement whereby the Imperial Government agreed to advance up to 75 per cent, of the value of all meat stored and waiting shipment has been of great value to producers and exporters alike. Owing to the prices being fixed for the duration of the agreement the fat-stock market has remained steady, but, unfortunately, the scarcity of shipping, causing the stores to become full, has produced some inconvenience through the inability of the meat-export companies to accept all the fat stock offering. This has not, however, been very serious, and the Dominion has benefited distinctly through the arrangement made originally in March, 1915, and continuing with the more advantageous concessions and increases granted from time to time. As will be seen from the following table, a very substantial increase has taken place in the number of cattle, sheep, and lambs slaughtered at meat-export works (principally for export) during the twelve months ended 31st March, 19.19, compared with the previous twelve months' slaughterings : — 31st March, 1910. 31st March, 191S. Increase. Cattle.. .. .. .. 218,871 211,319 7.552 Sheep.. .. .. .. 3,690,152 2,968,269 721,883 Lambs.. .. .. ..2,845,413 2,609,134 236,279 One additional meat-export slaughterhouse, that of the Wellington Meat Export Company, at Kakariki, near Marion, was completed during the year, and slaughtering operations commenced before the close of last season. Further additional cold-storage accommodation was provided by several of the companies. Inspection of Meat. The inspection of meat at meat-export slaughterhouses, abattoirs, and bacon-factories was again carried out with extreme difficulty, owing to war conditions causing fully trained Inspectors available to be insufficient for requirements, and had not these Inspectors met the position and willingly rendered increased service—sometimes at great inconvenience- the Department could not have had these duties carried out so satisfactorily and efficiently as they have been. The following are the numbers of each class of stock slaughtered under direct inspection during the year Ist April, 1918, to 31st March, 1919: Cattle, 307,816 ; calves, 18,872; sheep, 4,170,524 ; lambs, 2,928,892 ; swine, 121,040. With the exception of swine, which show a, decrease of 16,199, these figures show an increase when compared with the corresponding period of last year as follows : Cattle, 17,666 ; calves, 4,392 ; sheep, 752,942 ; lambs, 253,746. It will be noted from this that an increase of over a million has taken place in the combined slaughterings of sheep and lambs, The following table indicates the destination of the dressed carcases, those animals slaughtered at abattoirs being almost wholly for local consumption, and those slaughtered at meat-export slaughterhouses being (except in the case of swine) intended principally for export:— ~ A1 .. ■„ At Meat-export At BaeonAt Abattoirs. „, ~ , L - , . Slaughterhouses. factories. Cattle .. .. .. .. 88,945 218,871 Calves .. .. .. .. 14,547 4,325 Sheep .. .. .. .. 480,372 3,690,152 Lambs .. .. .. .. 83,479 2,845,413 Swine .. .. .. .. 44,879 56,625 19,536 At ordinary slaughterhouses the stock killed was as follows : Cattle, 47,541 ; calves, 1,426 ; sheep, 210,481 ; lambs, 21,424 ; swine, 11,405. In addition, 23,515 carcases of pigs killed and dressed by farmers under the exemption clause of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, and sent in to butchers' shops and small bacon-factories, were inspected by departmental officers.

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1908 1911 1916 1917 1918 Year. Bulls (all Ages). 30,170 40,870 50,858 49,930 51,935 Dairy Cows. Other Cattle. Total. 591,617 633,733 750,323 777,439 793,215 1,151,539 1,345,568 1,616,310 1,747,861 2.024,315 1,773,326 2,020,171 2,417,491 2,575,230 2,869,465 I