The Inspector made a visit of investigation to Nantungchow to note methods of loading at that point and treatment of pigs en route. We have reason to believe that some of the dead animals seen unloaded at Shang. hal are the result of ill-treatment which they may be subjected prior to loading on the vessels. The journey from Nantungchow to Shanghai should take 8 to 12 hours which is not an unduly protracted period for the pigs to be kept unfed, or without water at this time of year. On occasion the vessels have been delayed by bad weather or lack of berthing space and the pigs have then obviously suffered as the mortality figures have shown. On occasion too the Society considers
nate. the shipping space has been inade-On arrival at Shanghai, discharge being on the Settlement or French Bund, unloading from the vessel, load. ing into trucks and transport over Municipal Roads Ig under the supervision of. Municipal Departments. The Inspector has watched discharge and loading operations over a. period of two months, His notes show a steady decrease In the mortality rate. times he noted great over-crowding which led to interviews and his subsequent visit to Tungchow.
As pigs with broken legs or other Injuries which made it inhumane for them to be further transported were sometimes discharged from the vessels the Society considered these should bbe killed on the spot and our representation to the P.H.D. of the Seltlement was successful in this respect.
On January 10 the Inspector was granted an interview by the P.ILD.
On January 15 the Shanghai Muni cipal Council published Notiftation 4909 which covers the inspection of pigs by responsible officers before un-Toading, a provision necessary for humane and public health reasons.
Dimeulties of Discharge and Loading The dimeulty of removing pigs from deep lighters and of driving them up the ramps onto the trucks Is appreciated when the time factor urgent, but the Society considers there. is" at times an unnecessary amount of beating. Flat lengths of bamboo are employed, and while if the flat surface is applied the ftexibility reduces the blow, too frequently the sharp, inflexible edge is used with vicious' force.
The number of pigs per truck may be dimeult to regulate but the Society has on file an official statement that about 35 per truck Is considered cor-Feet. As transport facilities have been very dimeult because of the great demand for trucks, loading in excess fof this figure has been noted, but provided each pig had adequate Standing room no criticism was made, Jas anyone who takes the trouble watch will see that pigs herd together and foo much space would result in their being thrown about during rapid transport. However, the follow. ing Mgures noted by members of the Society, and tallying with the Cus tom's amicer's figures, were recorded fon Saturday, February 19, when piss were discharged from the s. Elsie Moller at the French Bund, in four trucks, 60, 70, 80 and 85 pigs respec tively. As the Moor space per truck was approximately 90 sq. feet, this gave between 1 and 1% sq. feet only Per. pig. An additional available truck' was used for 24 pigs and carried fifty coolies returning to the latrages.
The Society is aware that the Munt. cipal Authorities have been greatly hampered in the last few months in their efforts to deal with the problem In a satisfactory manner inasmuch as the food supplies of this vast city had to be maintained, and the necessity for the quick clearing of berths at the various Bund pontoons resulted in the overcrowding of trucks. These points are frequently overlooked by the general public and their criticism of the Authorities in this matter is, to a very large extent; unreasonable
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.