99

                                PART III-GENERAL.

SUBJECT III (a)–LEGISLATION. THE DESIRABILITY OF INTRO-
     DUCING FURTHER LEGISLATIVE MEASURES FOR THE CONTROL
     OF ANIMAL DISEASES.

        The Chairman said : " The question of the desirability of intro-
ducing further legislation was discussed at the last meeting and I
will read out the resolution that was passed —' That in the opinion
of this meeting some form of legislation is necessary to deal with
cattle diseases, especially as regards segregation and the movements
of cattle, and that such legislation should be introduced, when
possible.'

    " The Government of India doubted whether with the existing
staff any practical advantage would be gained by further enhancing
the legal powers of enforcing preventive and curative measures
against cattle diseases and there the matter rests.

    " We all agree that more legal powers are required and we have
to admit that unless our professional endeavours can be supplemented
by legal authority we are frequently in an unsatisfactory position.
There are many serious difficulties in the way at present, but the
question is open for discussion. Mr. Edwards has brought up the
matter again and I will ask him to speak."

    Mr. Edwards explained that in advising the Government of India
upon legislation to deal with the problem of anthrax control he had
suggested that the time was probably opportune for the enactment
of a Diseases of Animals Act on the general lines of the Glanders
and Farcy Act and analogous in its application to the Diseases of
Animals Act, 1878 and 1894, in operation in Great Britain for the
control of contagious animal disease. By means of a general measure
of this kind, the various prevalent epizootic, or infectious, animal
disease which the Central Government considered from time to time
should be brought under legislative control, could be declared sche-
duled diseases and Local Governments would then be empowered
to frame orders, rules, or regulations for undertaking sanitary
police measures in connection with these diseases, in the same way
as the Ministry of Agriculture at the present time controlled scheduled
diseases in Great Britain by means of Orders. At the present time
the legislative machinery for empowering Government to deal with
disease in animals was very slow in action as was shown in the case