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At ordinary slaughterhouses for the year ended 31st March, 1926 the stock slaughtered was as follows :— Cattle .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 93,259 Calves.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,670 Sheep.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 221,355 Lambs .. .. .. .. .. .. 20,498 Swine.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28,349 In addition, 36,279 carcases of pork killed and dressed by farmers and sent into butchers' shops were examined by departmental officers. In connection with animals shown in the table as slaughtered at meat-export slaughterhouses, the following numbers of the respective classes are returned as having gone into consumption within the Dominion : Cattle, 40,178 ; calves, 7,620 ; sheep, 139,513 ; lambs, 56,021 ; swine, 19,081. Compensation paid for Stock and Meat condemned. Compensation to the amount of £16,212 was paid out during the year for 5,747 animals condenmed in the field for diseases under the Stock Act, and £14,671 for carcases or parts of carcases condemned for disease on examination at time of slaughter at abattoirs and meat-export slaughterhouses, &c., under the provisions of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act. Importation of Stud Stock from Abroad. Consequent on the continued prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in England, the prohibition placed on cattle, sheep, and swine from Great Britain has remained. Some swine for stud purposes, also sheep, have been introduced from those Australian States from which the importation is permitted, and some Jersey cattle from the United States of America, after having been domiciled for some months in the Dominion of Canada, arrived and are undergoing the required quarantine period. A number of horses (thoroughbreds and Clydesdales) were imported from Great Britain, and as an extra precaution against the possible introduction of foot-and-mouth disease, they were all subjected to a period of quarantine. The introduction of dogs from the British Isles was considerably heavier than has been the case for some years, 154 animals of various breeds having arrived and gone into quarantine during the year. The following is a summary of the various classes of animals which were entered into quarantine during the year : Horses, 31 ; cattle, 15 ; swine, 38 ; sheep, 17 ; dogs, 154 ; fowls, 6. Exportation of Stud Stock. The exportation of stud stock from New Zealand has for some time back been looked upon as offering great possibilities, and it is satisfactory to record that during the year a very considerable advance was made in this direction, particularly in the export of stud sheep. Climatic conditions in this country are ideal for the breeding of stud stock of good hardy constitution, and there is every reason to believe that New Zealand will, as time progresses, develop the exportation of stud stock greatly. It is, however, imperative that in building up an export business in this direction the utmost care be taken in the class of stock exported, and breeders' associations must continue to ensure that their regulations as to inspection for entry in the stud-book and for conformation, quality, &c., are strictly carried out. The following are the numbers of stock exported for stud purposes during the year : Sheep, 2,692 ; cattle, 130 ; pigs, 10. Of the sheep exported, 353 were for the Falkland Islands, this being indirectly the result of the New Zealand Government having loaned to the Falkland Islands Administration the services of Mr. H. Munro of this Department to report on the position of the sheep industry there. The sheep sent were well chosen and should bring about a marked improvement in the flocks of the islands. Destruction of the Kea. The subsidy of ss. per beak paid for the destruction of the kea totalled £974 55., equal to 3,897 birds. Inspection of Dairy Premises supplying Milk for Direct Consumption. The inspection of dairy farms (premises and herds) supplying milk for direct consumption has been carried out throughout the year with energy, and in the majority of cases the position is quite satisfactory. Constant supervision is, however, necessary in order that the standard achieved may be maintained and improved where necessary. Special attention is given to the cleanliness of the premises, the methods of handling, and the cooling of the milk. A careful clinical examination of the cows is carried out, and any showing evidence of disease are destroyed ; also suspicious cases are tested for tuberculosis, and if reaction occurs they, too, are destroyed. Numbers of composite samples of milk are also collected and forwarded to the Veterinary Laboratory for T.B. examination. By these methods the elimination of diseased animals is attained. The work entailed in this inspection is very considerable, requiring, particularly in the chief centres, uninterrupted attention. The chief difficulty met with in dairy inspection is in regard to premises held on short terms of lease, and when the improvements required necessitate an expenditure which the lessee is unable to undertake for the remaining term of his lease. In a number of such cases owners have given assistance in having improvements required carried out, but nevertheless the difficulty is still considerable.

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