No. 1 (1921) ADMINISTRATION REPORT, 1919-20 11 



ordinary course from the divers. I have not submitted further pro- 

 posals in this connexion to the Government, because it seems to me 

 that it should be better dealt with by Mr. Hornell on his return 

 from leave, as he may have personal knowledge of the circumstances 

 in which the advances were made. But I am inclined to think that 

 every year at the close of the season the advance account should be 

 closed and any amounts which have not been recovered from the 

 divers and cannot be recovered from them should be recommended 

 to the Government to be written off as irrecoverable with a full 

 explanation in each case of the reason why the advance was not 

 recovered. 



43 . It appears to me that instead of following the usual practice 

 of making advances to divers and so keeping them in perpetual 

 debt to the Government, it would be better for the Government to 

 win the gratitude and willing service of these fishermen- divers by 

 payiug more attention to their well-being in various directions. 

 I have therefore called upon Mr. Govindan, the Assistant Director 

 of Fisheries (Coast), to organize in consultation with the Assistant 

 Director of Fisheries (Marine) socio-economic work amongst them as 

 soon as possible. We should in my opinion do among them such 

 work as has been undertaken on the west coast amongst the fisher- 

 folk, that is to say, we should establish day schools and night 

 schools where they are not already established and should encourage 

 temperance and take other measures to free them from debt not only 

 to the Government but also to others. 



44. Beche-de-mer fishery. — This fishery which is carried on at 

 Tirupalakudi in Ramnad district resulted in 6,245J lb. of a cm-ed 

 product as against 3,038 lb. in the previous year. The hSche-de-mer 

 were plentiful until the rains set in, but the divers were unable to 

 go out to sea oa manv davs on account of the weather and the 

 turbidness of the water. The fall in the exchange adversely affected 

 the price which could be obtained at Singapore and it was decided to 

 keep our stock unsold for some time till the market improves. 

 Attempts are being made to get into direct touch with merchants in 

 China. 



45. Inspection of pearl hanks. — The Tholayiram and Athom- 

 bathu bars were inspected in February. The former is the largest 

 pearl bank in Tinnevelly district. There were a few young oysters 

 of 2" diameter on the average, their age being approximately two 

 years. The oysters taken were found to be healthy but there were 

 no pearls in those opened. The number of square yards to oue 

 pearl oyster was 9-8. The progress of these oysters v\ill be care- 

 fully observed and recorded. Further inspection was not possible 

 owing to the weather and further inspection will be necessary this 

 season as soon as the Lady Nicholson has been refitted with engines. 



