18
and has evidently done all in his power to make the institution popular and well
known amongst cultivators. The report is very satisfactory. I trust that steps
will be taken to arrange for the site north of the Post-office and that the new
dispensary will be commenced without delay. Six cases of castration are
reported :—
Receipts ... ... ...
Expenditure ... ... ...
Balance ... ... ...
Rs.
3,331
2,420
911
a.
13
11
2
p.
3
2
1
Shikárpur.
75. Veterinary Graduates Messrs. Vedh and Laskari.—Inspected by me on
the 19th of January 1895 and found to be in fairly
good working order. A convenient site has been
selected near the city, and it is hoped that a suitable building will soon be
erected. The Veterinary Graduate Mr. Laskari was appointed in July 1894, and
from that date the two veterinary graduates worked alternately, the one being
in charge of the dispensary, while the other was touring in the district. This
arrangement is, in my opinion, a good one. The total number of animals treated
amounted to 843, of which 108 were in-patients and 735 out-patients. The Vete-
rinary Graduate attended the horse shows at Quetta and Jacobabad, treated the
outbreaks of anthrax and pleuro-pneumonia, and frequently visited the sick
animals at the owners' stables and the Government stallions at Shikárpur and
at other places in the district. Only two cases of castration are reported :—
Receipts ... ... ...
Expenditure ... ... ...
Balance ... ... ...
Rs
4,580
3,825
754
a.
10
13
13
p.
9
1
8
Summary.
76. Very satisfactory progress has been made in the Presidency during the
year under this head. The total number of animals
treated amounted to 13,936 against 9,843 last year
and the percentage of cured and relieved is much higher. It is very gratifying
to find that suitable buildings are being erected at all dispensary head-quarters,
and that the general public are keen and anxious to promote the welfare of
these institutions and to assist them with funds.
77. Only 19 cases of castration are reported by the Veterinary Assistants.
They do not seem to have been active in impressing on owners the expediency
of castrating although the matter was brought to their notice in my last annual
report. It is therefore suggested that the Presidents of the Dispensary Com-
mittees should make the Veterinary Assistants pay particular attention to
castration, as it is, without doubt, one of their chief duties, especially of those
that are situated in the middle of the horse-breeding districts.
VI.—TOURS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
78. The following studs were again visited by the Remount Agent and
myself during the year: Bhavnagar, Wánkaner, Morvi, Pálitána, Cutch, and
16 young stock purchased. There is a marked improvement in the general
management of the stock, and the keenness evinced by the Chiefs to sell and
establish a market promises well for the future. I also visited the State paddocks
of His Highness the Mahárája of Kolhápur, but I am afraid that no good
results can follow unless there is a complete change in the present system.
Steps have already been taken with a view of trying to improve matters.
79. Young Stock.—Traffic in very young stock goes on to a large extent in
the Presidency and is fatal to the interests of horse-breeding. At the Málegaon
show (Nizam's territory) alone some 80 head of well-bred stock were exhibited,
which had been collected by dealers in the British territory at ages varying from
3 to 6 months. They are tied together and marched across to the show, gaining
a precarious livelihood by grazing along the sides of the roads, and arrive at
Málegaon in a wretched state. They are then bought by a class of men called
" Hatkars," who keep and feed them to sell again. Many colts and fillies were
shown to me by these men, with crooked legs and badly grown, although covered
with rolls of fat, their owners stating that they had been tied up for three or four
months and well fed, without once being moved out of their stables. This