9
officials, especially by the Central and Southern Divisions of the Presidency, for
pony sires. It was shown that it was necessary to resort to special measures
with a view to restoring the number and quality of pony stock, which had experi-
enced exhausting drains through supplies of baggage ponies for active service.
Government passed a special grant of Rs. 12,000 for the purchase of pony
stallions. The Horse-breeding Department posted the stallions, branded a
sufficiency of mares and inspected the districts. Thus all measures necessary
to support these districts in their efforts to restore the breed of ponies were
taken, and it is unfortunate that as yet the owners of mares have not shown
themselves willing to take advantage of the facilities for breeding thrown in their
way.
75. At Bijápur it seems the galloway "Motiram" was considered too
large, so I have now replaced him by a 13-2 pony. With regard to Sholápur
and Sátára, the number of stallions for the present has been reduced; but if in
future the number of coverings indicate a larger demand it can be at once met,
as suitable stallions are easily procurable. The district officials of Government
are, I believe, fully impressed with the importance in every way of promoting the
work of the Department, and I trust that their effort will prove successful in
obtaining marked results when the present bad times cease.
76. It is interesting that under the influence of the Collector of Kaira a
collection of pony mares was made in connection with the Nadiád Agricultural
Show held in February last. A fair number of animals were brought together,
and the exhibits were reported as satisfactory evidence of the work done in
this district. I was not myself able to attend this Show, but I hope to be able
to do so at the next exhibition if it is decided to again collect horse stock
there.
77. A considerable reduction has been made in the register of branded
mares by striking out those that have become useless or have been lost sight
of or have died, and those that have been branded in Káthiáwár, from which
place all Government stallions have been withdrawn; also those mares branded
for donkey stallions in Cutch, Poona and Ahmednagar Districts, since the
Government brand is no longer required for the donkey stallions. Retention
of mares unnecessarily on the list is a mistake, as it is a sort of trap into which
the critics of the department, who judge purely from the statistics, are spe-
cially apt to be caught. It seems unnecessary to lower the percentage of
produce and remounts purchased in proportion to the number of coverings and
mares branded.
78. In the current year the Remount Department has started its rearing
dep6t at Ahmednagar. Hitherto my work in connection with this department
has been in purchasing young stock, a considerable number of which have gone
to Karnaul and the remainder sent to Ahmednagar, where if well fed and brought
up on the liberty system they ought to develop into animals valuable for
Government.
79. A considerable part of my tour was occupied in the expedition to
Málegaon Fair, for the purchase of remounts—a duty which certainly seems to
me might in future be performed by the officers of the Remount Department, as
it is evident that Málegaon is a good field for the purchase of young stock at
reasonable prices and at very moderate cost in marching thence to the depôt.
The Show this year was a poor one compared to those of former years; but I
have no doubt there will be a great improvement next year, as it will be under
the able management of Mr. Ali Abdulla, who has recently been reinstated in
his post as Superintendent of Stud to His Highness the Nizám, is fully alive
to the importance of developing horse-breeding in the southern parts of His
Highness the Nizám's dominions, and is accordingly fully prepared to render
every assistance to Remount officers attending Málegaon Fair. I am much in-
debted to him for the assistance he gave me. Several complaints were made
to me regarding toll tax on every thing that goes to and comes from Málegaon,
and on inquiry I was informed that His Highness the Nizám wishes to reduce
it. This certainly would be a step in the right direction, as the animals coming
to the Fair are valued by Munshis (who cannot be expected to judge fairly the
value of horses), and duty charged accordingly.
B 399-3