7
Four were sold, one was destroyed, one given to the villagers of Oddavelli.
Sattenapalle taluk, Guntur district, at their own request, and one to the Rev. J. A.
Curtis, Missionary, Donakonda, for stud purposes. In last year's report it was stated
that Government had accepted the Superintendent's proposal to postpone further
consideration of the question of pony-breeding operations owing to the impossibility
of securing suitable stallions.
47. Thus it becomes necessary to write an obituary notice on a branch of the
work of this department to which Government have contributed much money and the
officials of this and the Revenue departments have given much time. It is with
regret that one has to record the fact that these operations have been a failure.
Several causes have probably contributed to this but chief among them have been
the lack of interest in and knowledge of the principles of breeding on sound lines
which are displayed by the majority of the people of this Presidency, and the inability
of this department, owing to smallness of staff, to do any educative work on the
subject.
48. There was never any real demand for the Government stud animals
maintained by this department and while the people themselves take so little interest
in this subject the present Superintendent, although he is keenly interested in it
himself and would welcome requests for help and advice in the matter, considers that
the energies of the department, instead of being dissipated in what after all is only a
side line in its activities, are better employed on purely Veterinary work, the
demand for which still exceeds the amount which the present staff is able to supply.
49. For the Forest Department—In accordance with the instructions contained in
the Proceedings of the Board of Revenue, Forest Miscellaneous No. 283, dated 30th
March 1 906, it has been the custom of the Superintendent in previous years to inspect
the work of the Special Veterinary Inspector and Assistant Veterinary Inspector in
the Forest Department from time to time but he was unable to do so in the year now
under report.
50. As a result of these inspections the Superintendent, at different times, has
made proposals for augmenting the amount of Veterinary aid obtainable by the Forest
Department, has written notes for the Conservator of Forests, Western Circle, and
his subordinates on the dragging capacities of elephants and on the distinction to be
drawn between diarrhoea and indigestion, with which the working elephants are
much troubled; and also one for the Forest Member of the Board of Revenue on the
desirability and economy of retaining newly captured young elephants of good
conformation and temperament for the use of this Government in future years instead
of making it a rule to send them annually for sale.
The Board of Revenue in their Proceedings Forest No. 637, Miscellaneous, dated
11th October 1915, did not consider the Forest Department required any more
Veterinary aid but it is not known what action has been taken on the notes
referred to.
51. For the Police.—During the year the Chemical Examiner to Government
dealt with seventy-five cases of suspected poisoning in animals. Poison was detected
in 46 cases and it is reported by District Magistrates that 40 prosecutions were made
during the year for this offence. Convictions were obtained in 21 oases, the
prisoners being sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment, 12 cases were
discharged, three cases were withdrawn, two cases were undetected, and two were
pending with the Chemical Examiner at the end of the year. Reply is still due from
the District Magistrate of Kurnool.
The staff of this department made a post-mortem examination in 25 cases of
suspected poisoning and in sixteen of them sent the viscera to the Chemical Examiner.
In the other cases of animal poisoning dealt with by the Chemical Examiner the
viscera were sent in by Medical officers or by Magistrates. In addition to this work
the staff examined 57 cases of suspected malicious injury to animals and gave
evidence when required.
52. The members of this department, who are the only persons really fitted for
the work, are being employed more and more each year on this important duty of
giving expert evidence in cases of animals suspected of having been criminally
wounded or destroyed, but there is still room for improvement, and the Inspector-
General of Police is being addressed in the matter.