5
42. During the year two Veterinary Assistants died, two dismissed, one
resigned, and seven Veterinary Assistants were under military employ. There
were thus 12 vacancies in the cadre which could not be tilled up for want of
men. Besides these there were a number of leave vacancies for which no
substitutes were available. The new posts sanctioned during the year could
not also be entertained for the same reason.
43. Only three new graduates were received during the year and they
were all absorbed in filling up the old vacancies.
44. Deputy Superintendent.—Babu Sarat Chandra Pal continued to do
very useful work.
45. Veterinary Inspectors.—There is now one Inspector in each
division of the province except Rajshahi, where the charge, an extensive
one, has been divided from the beginning of the year into two circles—
Rajshahi and Jalpaiguri, each circle being provided with a separate Inspec-
tor. All these officers worked satisfactorily "during the year.
46. Staff Veterinary Assistants.—Of the four Staff Veterinary Assis-
tants three were sent back to districts having completed the terms of their
appointments, but they could not bo replaced for want of men. The work of
the remaining one Staff Veterinary Assistant, viz., Babu R. N. Bose was
therefore very strenuous during 1 he, greater part of the year and he performed
his duties successfully.
47. Veterinary Assistants.—These may be said to have done good work
during the year.
48. The work of the following Veterinary Assistants is worthy of
recognition :—
Babu B. K. Shaha, Chittagong.
„ S. C. Bose, Raghunathgunge.
„
J. N. Guha, Gaibandha.
„ K. C. Gupta, Rangpur.
Moulvi M. E. Talukdar, Jamalpur.
Babu S. C. Gupta, Madaripur.
S. K. Roy. Alipore, 24-Parganas.
Part V.—Expenditure of the Department.
49. Table XIVA shows the cost of the department including that of the
College. This statement has been prepared according to the figures furnished
by the Accountant-General, Bengal.
General Remarks.
50. The usefulness of the department is being increasingly appreciated
and in consequence the work of the department increases out of proportion to
the staff.
51. Services of Veterinary Assistants are not utilized by municipalities in
all cases for inspection of hack ponies at the time of granting licenses. As
there are now Veterinary Assistants available at almost all the subdivisional
head-quarters, attention of the municipalities may be drawn to this fact.
This would tend to prevent a great deal of the present cruelty to animals.
52. Want of shelters to pass nights in has been a source of trouble and
inconvenience to many of the itinerant Veterinary Assistants while working
in the interior, the District Boards concerned having refused them permission
to occupy the inspection bungalows of the Board. As other officers of the Board
having similar status as that of the Veterinary Assistants are allowed to
occupy these bungalows free of rent, the question of their occupation by the
Veterinary Assistants requires the consideration of Government.
53. The work of the clerical staff although very heavy was satisfactorily
done. During the year 7.846 letters were received and 6,154 despatched.
54. Obituary.—Veterinary Assistants N. Huque of Comilla and Jugman
Singh of Darjeeling died during the year.
A. SMITH, LT.-COL.,
Offg. Supdt.
Civil Vety. Dept.,
Bengal.
CALCUTTA,
The 23rd June 1917.