106
In Veterinary-Captain Evans, the Department is fortunate in having an Officer of untold energy, and one
possessing a most extraordinary power of organization This is at once seen when we consider that he has trained
the Veterinary Assistants and organised their work in the districts, single-handed. His knowledge of the country, the
people, and their customs, as well as of the language, is very great. This is of the greatest importance as Burma and
its people differ so greatly from India, that an Officer appointed to this Province would be of little value for a year or
two. We must, therefore, be prepared to face the day when this Officer's services will have to be replaced He has
now been 13 years in India, of which nearly 9 have been spent in Burma, and as yet has not availed himself of
furlough; as this must, however, come soon, I would beg most strongly to recommend the appointment of a second
Officer for this Province, in order that the very important work now being carried on, may not be allowed to be
retarded.
The work is by far greater than any one man can be expected to do, and had we not had such a hardworking
and conscientious Officer as Veterinary-Captain Evans, it would never have developed in the manner it has done.
Further development is still called for, and, in time, the requirements of the Province will, in all probability, exceed
80,i, c. when the Upper Burmans recognize the value of Veterinary Assistants; at present, some districts have only
one Assistant, and I have little doubt that in a few years such districts will call for two or more. For this reason, as
well as for the others previously advanced, I very strongly beg to recommend the appointment of a second Officer for
Burma, as soon as. possible.
600. I cannot conclude my remarks on my visit to Burma without recording
the pleasure which I derived from my visit to that Province. The amount I
learned, and the fact which was impressed upon me that we in India should, as far
as possible, adopt the organization which exists in that country.
601. From Burma I proceeded to Madras where I purchased the stallions
which had been brought over by Messrs. Krcrouse and Madden.
602. Whilst in Madras, I had a long interview with Mr. Winterbotham a
Member of the Board of Revenue, when I pointed out to him how almost next to
impossible it was to make any progress in Veterinary matters in that Presidency. I
pointed out that of 13 Stock Inspectors, 6 had been dismissed on the grounds that
they were not fit for promotion to the higher grade of Inspectors. As, however, I
ventured to point out that men of the lower qualifications were required in the
districts. We did not in fact require men who were all fitted for the higher grade
appointments.
603. I also ventured to point out that not a single Dispensary existed in
that Province, and that I had previously suggested that these 6 men might well
be utilized in this way. Further, that out of only 7 Veterinary Assistants or
Stock Inspectors as they are called in Madras, four had been utilized for a length-
ened period on famine duty, thereby leaving a large Presidency with only 3 men
available to supervise the welfare of cattle which were of inestimable value. As
may be imagined from a consideration of the above, little or nothing is being done
in the Madras Presidency.
604. As Christmas intervened, I devoted the holidays to the inspection of
the new horse and donkey stallions and other matters connected with the Depôt at
Babugarh.
605. In January, I visited Lahore to confer with the Superintendents, Civil
Veterinary Department, North and South Punjab, on the subject of the purchase
of mature mules required by the Reserve Mountain Battery at Rawalpindi, which
this Department had been asked to purchase.
606. Thence I proceeded to Bombay where I concluded my purchases of
Arab stallions, and where I also was able to purchase two Thoroughbred Australians.
607. I then proceeded to the Jellalabad Horse Show in the Ferozepore
district, and on my way to Sibi (Baluchistan) I halted at Faridkot and made my
annual inspection of horse and mule-breeding operations in that State. I also
halted at Bahawalpore and, as previously arranged, I carefully inspected all the
mares, selecting such as were considered fit for horse and mule-breeding. I also
started fresh registers for the stud which will enable reference to be made in future
with facility. I then attended the Sibi Horse Show.
608. In February, I proceeded to Meerut at which place, with the sanction
of the Government of India, I had started a Camp Office whilst on tour which I
would place on record was of the greatest assistance to me, and having- obtained
all the documents I required, I proceeded to Hissar as President of the Committee
assembled by orders of the Government of India to report on the Cattle Farm at
that place.
609. On conclusion of this duty, I visited Calcutta to confer with the
Government of India and also with the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, Bengal, on the subject of experiments which he is conducting in preventive
measures to guard against Rinderpest in Behar.