RENENUE
DEPARTMENT.
♦
AGRICULTURE.
♦
CALCUTTA, THE 27TH JULY 1897.
RESOLUTION—No. 2252.
READ—
The Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, for the year
1896-97.
Letter from the Director of the Department of Land Records and Agriculture,
No. 1085A., dated 1st July 1897, submitting the Report.
Read again—
This Government's Resolution No. 847T.R., dated 5th October 1896.
In the Resolution mentioned in the preamble, Sir Alexander Mackenzie
reviewed the progress made by the Bengal Civil Veterinary Department
during the first four years of its existence and up to the departure of its first
Superintendent, Veterinary-Captain W. D. Gunn. That officer was relieved on
12th October 1896 by Veterinary-Captain F. Raymond, who submits the
present Report; and the Officiating Lieutenant-Governor is glad to observe that
both the Department and the Veterinary Institution have continued to develop
in the right direction.
2. Bengal Veterinary Institution.—The
second final examination of the
Institution was held in March last. Nine candidates passed out of fourteen who
appeared ; eight others were forbidden to appear on account of their irre-
gular attendance at lectures. Veterinary-Captain Raymond suggests that the
Committee of Examiners who visit the College yearly should hold an examina-
tion of the first-year as well as of the second year students; the Inspector-
General, Civil Veterinary Department, will be addressed with a view to this
suggestion being carried out. The Officiating Lieutenant-Governor regrets to
observe that the students holding stipends from local bodies and from the Burd-
wan Raj have not, as a rule, justified their selection, only three out of eight having
passed the examination of their respective years. It is most satisfactory, however,
that of the 21 passed students of the school (none of whom qualified before
March 1896), no less than 13 are in permanent or temporary employment under
Government, District Boards or private employers, while the rest are in private
practice. There can be no doubt that the veterinary profession presents
a new and promising career for young men, and His Honour trusts that the
popularity of the institution will continue to increase as this fact becomes more
widely known. The Hostel attached to the Institution has been finished since the
close of the year, and is now ready for occupation. Further improvements are
suggested for the school and infirmary, and some of these, it is hoped, may be
carried out from time to time as funds become available. Veterinary-Captain
Raymond puts forward strong arguments in favour of the extension of the
school course from two years to three. As stated in the Resolution of 5th Octo-
ber 1896, this proposal has been submitted to the Government of India, and is
still under their consideration.
3. Infirmary for Animals.—At
the Veterinary Hospital 479 animals
were treated as in-patients and 248 as out-patients, or 727 in all. The total
shows a decrease of 46 cases, but the number of in-patients shows an increase
of 42—a fact which no doubt indicates that confidence in the institution is
growing among owners. The Superintendent proposes to modify the scale of
fees with a view to securing a larger number of patients ; the recommendations