89
" These false entries could only be made with the consent or by carelessness on the part of
the zilladars, as they are supposed to constantly check the darindahs' registers, and I am very
glad that in this case you dismissed the zilladar and sanctioned the stand being broken at
Rardhana, as I believe it has had a very wholesome effect on the other zilladars and darindahs
throughout the districts.
"As suggested by you, I then took 20 mares from the covering returns of each zilladar and
submitted them for verification to the Collector. Seven of these have been returned to me and
one is yet outstanding. Of the 7 returned, in no case have all the entries been found to be
correct. In many of them the errors are not very, serious, such as the correct color of the mare
not been given. The substituting of the son's name for that of the father, and the syces name for
that of his master. In the Budaon district, out of 20 mares submitted, 9 were found to be incor-
rect, and some of the men supposed to have mares covered could not be traced at all. On the
other hand, on several occasious application has been made to me by zemindars to grant produce
certificates for their foals, the zilladars being unable to so, as the mares covering had not been
entered in the darindah's register, and the darindahs, in a couple of cases, came forward and
admitted that they forgot to make the entry at the time. Thus it will be seen that the covering
returns are far from correct, a number of the mares shown as covered have never been covered
at all; whereas, a number that have been covered have not been entered in the register. It is
hoped that now the patwaris are going to submit returns, we may be able to check those of the
zilladars and arrive at more accurate results."
It will be seen that every endeavour has been made to obtain correct
statistics, and although the Department has failed, still, the measures adopted,
although they may appear severe, are such as will in time lead to the attain-
ment of this most important end.
298. On the question of the registration of produce, the Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western Provinces and Oudh, states:—
" The zilladar's returns show 678 foals to 2.839 mares covered, being 23.8 per cent. of the
mares covered, and 8.7 per stallion employed. Here again no doubt, the zilladars are at fault
as the number of foals produced must be far in excess of the number shown by the returns.
Zilladars have very large circles in their charge, and it is difficult for them to ascertain the
result of each covering. It is much easier to write a mare down as empty than having to travel
30 or 40 miles to find out if she had a foal.
" During my cold weather tour, I met with a number of foals whose owners had no produce
certificate ; the zilladars evidently not knowing of their existence. Here also we shall receive
valuable assistance from the patwaris' returns. It will not be difficult for them to ascertain if the
4 to 5 mares in their villages had foals or not, and therefore it is expected their returns will be
fairly accurate. We may certainly hope to improve our present number of foalings, but we can
scarcely expect to get the same percentage as is met with in England and other European coun-
tries, the climate and general management of the horses of the country are against it."
This officer further states:—
"The zilladars have been very careless in submitting their returns and all round apparently
very careless about their work. A new set of rules has been drawn up and printed, defining
exactly what their duties are, and the dates on which returns are to be submitted ; a copy has
been circulated to each zilladar, and during the present year I mean to keep them up to these
rules."
In all cases reported to this office in which zilladars have failed to
properly perform their duties or in which they have been found to submit
false returns, serious notice has been taken of their neglect, and it is hoped
that this will have the desired effect.
299. In order to endeavour to check the returns submitted by the zilladars,
it was decided, some time ago, that similar returns should be furnished by the
patwaris in the Punjab and North-Western Provinces. This system has been
referred to for the first time in the annual reports of the Superintendents,
Civil Veterinary Department.
The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, South Punjab, states:—
"The returns submitted to this office from patwaris, regarding the coverings and foalings
of branded mares and pony mares served by Government donkey stallions have up to the present
been of little service as a check on the zilladars returns.
"The returns of the patwaris for the most part are incorrect or incomplete. The system
has only been in existence two years and the patwaris do not as yet understand what is required
of them."
The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western Pro-
vinces and Oudh, states :—
"The returns received from District Officers furnishing the information collected by patwaris,
regarding the working of the horse breeding operations in their districts has so far not been of
much value as affording a check on the returns of the zilladars.