6
number of cases prosecuted was 7 of which 3 were discharged, 2 treated as un-
detected, 1 is pending and one of the accused in the remaining ease was sentenced to
six months' rigorous imprisonment.
42. In the whole Presidency, excluding Madras City, 4,312 convictions were
obtained under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act XI of 1890, of which
2,316 related to Trichinopoly. Altogether the number sent to veterinary infirmaries
for treatment was only 617. The reason assigned by the District Magistrate, Trichi-
nopoly, for the small number sent to the local hospital for treatment during the year
1922-23 was that a large Dumber of cases were dealt with for offences such as
carrying birds with the legs tied and head downwards, using needle-sticks while
driving, over-loading, using weak and poor conditioned animals, tying horns to
fetlocks, biting tail, etc. This perhaps accounts also for the small number sent to
infirmaries throughout the Presidency during the year under report.
43. Municipal.—During the year there has been an addition of four to the
previous number of thirty-four municipal councils which adopted the by-laws under
which the owners of animals are responsible for reporting the death of an animal.
44. Throughout the Presidency there are only twenty municipalities which
employ a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in the important work of meat inspection,
Ootacamund municipality set the good example of having their own Veterinary
Assistant Surgeon for this purpose in addition to other duties and it is an example
which might well be followed by the other important towns.
45. Fairs arid shows.—The usual cattle and pony show was held at Tiruppur at
the end of May 1924. The Madras Cattle Disease Act was in force in the Nilgiris
throughout the year and its provisions were also enforced at all the important cattle-
fairs throughout the Presidency.
V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
46. The total expenditure of the department excluding the Madras Veterinary
College was Rs. 4,20,568-14-4 against Rs. 4,52,801-12-11 the previous year. The
reduction under 'Superintendence' was due to Mr. Saunders' transfer to the
Madras Veterinary College and Mr. Ware's leave allowances being paid in England.
The decrease under 'Subordinate Establishment' was due to the carrying out of
the proposals of the Retrenchment Committee and the introduction of fees for
'serum alone' method of inoculation against Rinderpest which has had the effect
of reducing the consumption of serum to a great extent.
VI.—OFFICE STAFF.
47. The office of the Chief Superintendent and that of the late Superintendent,
I division, Vizagapatam, which was converted into a Circle office in accordance with
the recommendations of the Retrenchment Committee, were each reduced by one
clerk, and the other four Circle offices were each strengthened by an additional clerk
to cope with the additional work allotted to them. These changes took effect from
1st November 1923.
VII.—GENERAL REMARKS.
48. Although the incidence of contagious diseases taken as a whole was small,
the year was one of severity for cattle owing to drought and scarcity of fodder
especially in the breeding tracts of Coimbatore and Salem.
49. During the year 126 reports were made by the staff against village officers
for slackness in reporting outbreaks of contagious disease.
50. One of the chief recommendations of the Retrenchment Committee was the
abolition of the difference between the work assigned to the Superintendent of the
Indian Veterinary Service and Deputy Superintendents of the Madras Veterinary
Service, and the dividing up of the Presidency into a number of circles which may
be in the charge of an officer of either service. This recommendation was approved
by Government and the change was brought into effect from 1st November 1923.
51. A conference of the administrative officers of this department was held at
Madras in July 1923 and the resolutions passed thereat were duly communicated to
Government.