No. IV-20— 3924
FROM
A. R, EDWARDS, ESQ., I. C. S.,
DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF LAND RECORDS AND
AGRICULTURE, ASSAM,
To
THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER,
ASSAM.
Shillong, the 23th Jane 1915.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the report of the Civil Veterinary Department of
this province for the year ending the 31st March 1915, together with a brief report
on Veterinary work in Manipur State, which is reproduced as Appendix A.
2. Mr. Harris held charge of the Department throughout the year. He was on
tour for 193 days, while in. the previous year he and the Officiating Superintendent
together toured for 217 days. It is satisfactory to find that he inspected the work of
all the Veterinary Assistants, except those at Sylhet and Sunamganj. The three
inspectors also made, on the average, three inspections of the work of each of the
Veterinary Assistants within their respective circles, besides attending outbreaks and
doing miscellaneous work. Mr. McSwiney and I inspected the Veterinary Dispensa-
ries at Silchar, North Sylhet, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Maulvi Bazar, Nowgong,
Barpeta, Tezpur and Mangaldai.
3. During the year under report the full number of six stipends was awarded ;
this included two granted to youths from the Naga Hills. Unfortunately all but the
holders of the last two either failed to join or did not pursue their studies, with the
result that the total number of stipendiaries at the College during the year was only 7-
Their progress was, however, satisfactory as they all passed their examinations : the
only one who graduated has lately been appointed a reserve Veterinary Assistant. No
private students attended the College during the year. There were six Local Board
stipendiaries but results were most unsatisfactory as only one passed the class exami-
nation. An arrangement has been made under which Local Boards will, in future,
have their nominees examined by the Superintendent before awarding stipends. For
the current year four additional stipends have been awarded, besides the six which are
usually given. It is still not easy to secure suicable men. It is hoped, however, that
the difficulty will become less as time goes on. The increase in the scale of pay, which
is likely to be introduced at an early date, should make the Department more popular.
4. The total number of deaths reported from contagious diseases among cattle
during the year under report was 33,280 against 29,471 in the preceding year, the
figures under most heads including that for rinderpest, being higher than in that year.
Deaths from rinderpest made up 27 per cent, of the total against 26 per cent. in 1913-
14. The increase is said to be due to the prevalence of a severe type of the disease in
various places. The heaviest mortality from all diseases was again reported from the
Brahmaputra Valley, the figure being 83 per cent, against 80 per cent. in the previous
year. As indicated last year, however, no great reliance can be placed on these
figures. It is probable that the high figure shown for the Brahmaputra Valley is
partly, at least, due, to reporting being better there than in the other Division.
5. Out of 21,117 animals inoculated only 247 died while in the previous year 382
animals out of 26,325 died after inoculation. In case of inoculation against rinderpest
the result has, however, been less satisfactory than in the previous year as 221
animals died out of 13,782 inoculated against 305 out of 19,953 inoculated last year.