The following statement is made by the Shanghai Municipal Council regarding the transportation of pigs in the Settlement, a topic which has been widely discussed here in recent week A considerable shortage occurred in the supply of pork during the month of November, 1937. This gave rise to grave fears of nutritional diseases amongst the million or so Chinese inhabitants. Arrangement were therefore made for two forei members of the staff of the Public Health Department to assist in the escorting of Chinese dealers through the war zone to Nantungchow, a town on the Yangtze, where, through the exertions of the dealers, assisted by members of the staff, supply was resumed.
The number of pigs necessary for the Settlement amounts to more than 51,000 a month. Unfortunately, the only landing facilities were restricted and unsuitable, making supervision dificult, Nevertheless, the animal death rate has been reduced by over 50 per cent. as compared with conditions prior to August, 1937. Some injuries are unavoidable, and all severely injured animals were painlessly destroyed, 136 having been shot on the Jetty between November 23, 1937 and the' end of January, thu avoiding unnecessary suffering, It is natural that this transportation, being fully under the view of offices on The Bund, gave rise to considerable criticism.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.