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that this officer and my Veterinary Investigation Officer could constantly
remain in touch and actively co-operate with each other as animal nutrition
and animal diseases are intimately connected and the one is correlated with
the other. As a matter of fact I personally consider that these two schemes
should have worked under the administrative control of a single head of the
Department.
73. I would urge once more for the oft repeated proposal of entertain-
ment of one Deputy Director in the Veterinary Department.
The Depart-
ment has passed its infancy and expanded to more than double of
its original strength and activities with many complexities the burden of
which the Director can no more bear alone. If the efficiency of the
Department is to be maintained, if the Director is to be given any
opportunity to think on greater scientific and administrative matters the
appointment of a Deputy Director to relieve the former from routine nature
of work cannot and should not be clayed a moment more so that higher
and original scientific and administrative matters might receive his due and
better attention.
74. The Hon'ble Minister in-charge of Agriculture and Veterinary
Departments, Assam, paid a visit to my office and Laboratory at Gauhati.
Our Institutes at Gauhati had the privilege of a second visit from the Hon'-
ble Minister when no less an august personality than the Hon'ble Minister
of Agriculture, Bengal was also pleased to pay a visit and enquire about the
working of the Department in Assam. The Department considers it not
only a great honour done to it by such visits but also values it immensely as
a great encouragement to the staff.
75. The Veterinary Institutes and Laboratory and Veterinary Investi-
gation Officer's office at Gauhati were visited by Mr. F. Ware, C.I.E.,
F.R.C.V.S., F.N.I., I.V.S., Animal Husbandry Commissioner with the Govern-
ment of India during the year under report. He felt a very keen interest
in the work done in Assam and was pleased to discuss at length many scien-
tific matters of importance. His advice on the spot touching several impor-
tant scientific matters was of immense value. This was particularly so in
respect of Bovine Contagious Pleuro-Pneumonia which has been causing
great anxiety to the Department and considerable economic loss to the
province.
My Veterinary Investigation Officer and myself very much
appreciated his advice on the line of action to be taken in future research
and investigation of animal diseases in Assam. The value and importance of
such a visit from the head of the veterinary affairs in India cannot be too
strongly emphasised and I am extremely grateful that though we are in the
extreme north-eastern corner of India I had the privilege of a third visit
from him in less than six years to the great benefit of my Department and
of the province.
76. My technical staff showed once more their zeal and loyal devotion
to duty. The appointment of 60 Veterinary Field Assistants to assist the
Veterinary Assistant Surgeons has given considerable relief to the latter in
ordinary routine work of inoculation and vaccination, and in the matter of
castration by Burdizzio's castrator which has afforded the Veterinary Assist-
ant Surgeons better scope to carry out work requiring scientific skill and
knowledge. My Inspectors and Mr. Bhudhar Chandra Chatterjee, Johnes
Disease Officer, Assam, did as much and as best possible under limitations.
Inspector Babu Annada Mohan Das retired on well earned pension towards
the close of the year. In his retirement the Department has lost the services
of a senior and experienced officer. I take this opportunity to place on
record the long and meritorious service he rendered to the Department for