6
A large number of fairs were attended by Veterinary Assistants in the course of
their ordinary tours, while the Cattle Diseases Act was enforced at the more important
annual fairs at Kazhugumalai, Sivalaperi, Azhwartirunagiri, Kanniseri, Muthalapurara,
Sankaranayinarkoyil, Timmarajapuram, Tiruvannamalai, Kulgunda, Melmalayanur
and Mailam and a Special Veterinary Assistant deputed in each case to carry out
its provisions.
IV.—SUBORDINATE STAFF.
(i) Executive staff.—At the commencement of the year there were three Ins-
pectors and 59 Assistants including seven probationers. During the year one
Inspector was confirmed as Deputy Superintendent, one Inspector and an Assistant
died and five Assistants resigned. Mr. Richards was transferred from Local Fund
service and appointed as first-grade Veterinary Inspector and 17 men were newly
entertained as Veterinary Assistants. At the close of the year the staff consisted of
seven Veterinary Inspectors, including a sub. pro tem, officer and 65 Assistants, of
whom 15 were on probation.
The sanction of the Board to divide the Presidency into six instead of three
circles under Veterinary Inspectors was given effect to from June 1912 and the
mobile staff under a sub. pro tem. Veterinary Inspector for combating rinderpest was
also organised towards the close of that month. As was anticipated by the splitting
up of the former enormous circles, a much closer supervision of the work of the sub-
ordinate staff, especially touring Assistants has been made possible, and in addition
Inspectors have been able to attend quite a number of outbreak reports themselves,
which of course is of great help to a young Assistant as well as to the ryots.
(ii) Of f i ces establishment.—Owing to the large increase in correspondence and
consequent congestion in the office, sanction was obtained for employing a temporary
clerk on Rs. 20 per mensem from 11th July 1912. As it has been decided not to
relieve the Superintendent of any of his office work at least for the present, by the
appointment of a second Superintendent or Deputies, the question of permanently
increasing his office staff needs immediate consideration, but the Board will be
addressed separately on this question.
During the year the head clerk M.R. Ry. T. V. Srinivasa Aiyar was deputed to
undergo a six months' course of training for Land Records Tahsildars and during his
absence the work of the office was satisfactorily carried on by the second clerk
R. Lakshminarayana Nayudu.
V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARMENT.
Table XIV-A exhibits the cost of the department during 1912-1913. The
expenditure amounts to Rs. 1,05,933-3-1 and exceeds that of the previous year by
Rs. 8,431—10—8. The increase is due mainly to the development of the department,
by the addition to the staff of Veterinary Inspectors and Veterinary Assistants, and
to the increments in pay.
VI.—GENERAL REMARKS.
In reviewing the year's work the Superintendent feels justified in thinking that
the work of the executive branch of the department has advanced steadily in all direc-
tions. This is evident from the figures alone, and while the Superintendent does not
forget that mere statistics are apt to be an unreliable criterion of the amount of work
done, owing to the natural desire of subordinates in every department to give an
elastic meaning to the rules regulating them, yet so much care has been bestowed
on those incorporated in this report that he considers they may be accepted as
approximately correct.
Apart from the figures however it has been gratifying to the Superintendent on
several occasions to learn from Revenue and District officers that the work of the sub-
ordinates in their crusade against contagious diseases, at least in some districts, has
been much appreciated by the ryots.
2. The question of providing relief for the Superintendent was discussed during
the year, it being opened originally by a remark made by Lieutenant-Colonel Evans,
the acting Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, in his Administration
report for 1910-1911, that the routine office Work of European Veterinary Experts