Commissioner of Agriculture. 415 



culous. The form of such statement shall be prescribed by the 

 commissioner of agriculture. Such statement shall be verified 

 by the veterinary or medical practitioner making the exami- 

 nation. 



§ 70a. Compensation to owners of animals destroyed. — The actual 

 appraised value at the time they are killed of all animals 

 slaughtered under the provisions of this article, which shall be 

 found upon a post mortem examination not to have had the 

 disease for which they were slaughtered, unless the same were 

 killed on account of the violation of quarantine regulations, shall 

 be paid to the owners of such animals. The certificate of ap- 

 praisal, the statement of the result of the post-mortem exami- 

 nation, shall be presented by the owner or his legal representa- 

 tives or assigns, to the commissioner of agriculture. The com- 

 missioner of agriculture shall issue his order for the amount 

 due as shown by such certificate and statement, which shall 

 be paid by the state treasurer on the warrant of the comp- 

 troller out of moneys appropriated therefor. The board of 

 claims shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear, audit and de- 

 termine all claims which shall arise under the provisions of this 

 article for compensation for animals slaughtered and to allow 

 thereon such sums as should be paid by the state. No compen- 

 sation shall be made to any person who has wilfully concealed 

 the existence of disease among his animals or upon his premises, 

 or who in any way by act or by wilful neglect has contributed 

 to spread the disease sought to be suppressed or pre- 

 vented, nor for any animal which upon a post-mortem examina- 

 tion is found to have the disease on account of which it was 

 slaughtered or any dangerously contagious or infectious disease 

 that would warrant the destruction of such animal. 



§ 70b. Expenses. — All expenses incurred by the commissioner in 

 carrying out the provisions of this article and in performing 

 the duties herein devolved upon him shall be audited by the 

 comptroller as extraordinary expenses of the department of 

 agriculture, and paid out of any moneys in the treasury appro- 

 priated for such purposes. 



