27
of these officials has been suspected of neglect of duty or submitting wrong re-
turns, has been most carefully enquired into with the result that:—
In North-Western Provinces ...
In North Punjab ... ...
In South Punjab ... ...
7 zilladars have been fined.
1 was transferred.
1 warned and reprimanded.
2 fined.
1 dismissed.
6 fined.
1 fined twice; is now under suspension
pending full enquiries being made
into the case.
125. I feel confident that with the close supervision which is now being
exercised, that improvement must take place, but still, as I before said, this
improvement must be gradual.
126. This important innovation cannot be supposed to have exercised much
influence on this year's returns, it is therefore not surprising to read the follow-
ing extracts from the reports of the various Superintendents, although it is dis-
appointing in the extreme and must prove, as already stated by me, that the
improvement must be gradual.
127. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western
Provinces and Oudh, in remarking on the unsatisfactory nature of the Produce
Returns, throws much doubt on the number of coverings of last year on which
the average of foalings is based, for the reason that before this year, no actual
check has been exercised over the Darindahs and Zilladars' Returns. In addi-
tion to this, he adds:—
"I do not believe the zilladars go round to see the result of each covering; they simply enquire from the
darindahs what mares have foaled and what mares are empty. I have found this out when on tour, as, on
several occasions, I saw mares with foals come for my inspection that the zilladar knew nothing about; that
had no produce certificates. These zilladars have been repeatedly fined for their carelessness. Next year I
expect there will be a great improvement under this head, as the number of coverings is correct and the Produce
Returns will be verified in the same way as the Covering Returns."
128. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, South Punjab,
takes quite another view of the case; not laying the blame on the Zilladars but
on the owners of the mares, who he describes as knowing but little about horse
breeding. He instances the following example:—
(a) That the zemindars think nothing of riding 10 or 15 miles in the
morning to get their mares covered; they then have them put to
the stallion at once and ride them quickly back again.
(b) That owners are so frequently in such a hurry to return to their
homes that they will not wait for the second covering.
(c) That very frequently, from cases which have come to his notice, he
is aware that mares are covered when they are not in season.
(d) That many mares abort owing to the ignorance and mismanagement
of the breeders.
129. To obviate this, he has delivered short lectures and advice to the
breeders at all the gatherings of mares held in the various districts, and it is to
be hoped that this may have some effect; for, as he justly remarks, stallions are
often accused of being bad foal-getters when the fault does not lie with them.
130. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab, in
remarking on the low percentage of produce, states:—
"These figures read disappointingly, but I am sure no great confidence can be placed on their correctness.
I know of one case alone, that of a zilladar of the Rawal Pindi district, since dismissed, that he had not issued
produce certificates except in a few instances for the whole year, and on my tour in his portion of the district,
which unfortunately was at the close of the year, I had numerous cases brought before me of foals, undoubtedly
by Government sires, with no certificates. This, to a certain extent, has gone on in most districts, but a check
on zilladar's returns has now been instituted by order of the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department,
which I hope will cause a marked difference another year."
131. Whilst agreeing to a certain extent with the Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, South Punjab, that the unsatisfactory Produce Returns
are in a measure due to the ignorance of the breeder, I cannot go so far as to be-
lieve that this is entirely due to the causes ascribed by him. I concur more fully
in the opinions of the Superintendents, Civil Veterinary Department, North
Punjab and North-Western Provinces and Oudh, and I regret to say that I