10
was appointed, and the Government of India agreed to meet the pay of his
appointment on the ground of the benefit which would accrue to the State,
and especially to the Army, but the operations remained under the control of
the Local Government.
53. Feeling that as Bombay was the only part of India in which Govern-
ment horse-breeding operations were not under the control of the Imperial
Government, and thus under my direct supervision, and further, as I felt that
the demand for young stock for the military rearing depôts, for horses for
Native Cavalry, for Imperial Service Troops, and for Police, as well as for
mules for Ordnance and Transport purposes was increasing and also as I felt
that we could not leave a single centre, capable of providing horses and mules
for the above, undeveloped, I addressed the Government of India, recommend-
ing that Bombay should be brought under their control as far as horse and mule-
breeding operations were concerned, pointing out that if this were carried into
effect stallions posted in one tract could be drawn to supplement those of
another, where the prospects of development appear to be more promising; more-
over, I deemed it advisable to point out that it was necessary that we should have
the fullest and most complete information as to the progress and results of the
operations in all parts of India, but that under the present system we do not
obtain the necessary information.
54. I deemed it my duty to advocate this change, especially with reference
to Sind, in which Province the horse-breeding operations are under the con-
trol of the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay. This, of all
parts of Bombay, is the most promising centre for the development of horse
and mule-breeding, and hitherto, owing to its isolation from the rest of the
Presidency, it has not received the attention it deserves; this is accounted for
by the fact that the Superintendent has under his charge the wide area covered
by the Presidency proper, Kathiawar and Cutch, and he has therefore been
unable to develop the resources of Sind as might otherwise have been done.
In this opinion I find I am borne out by the Director of Land Records, who
in his review of the Superintendent's report for 1895-96, says:—
"As has already been reported, it is not possible for him (the Superintendent) to inspect the whole of his
charge during each year."
55. It was therefore necessary to consider what arrangements could be
made for the better development of horse and mule-breeding in Sind, and I
consider, looking at the question from a geographical point of view, and taking
into consideration the difference in the sizes of the areas supervised by the
Superintendents, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay and Baluchistan,
respectively, that it would be advisable to place the horse and mule-breeding
operations in Sind under the latter officer, whose charge it immediately adjoins,
and within whose jurisdiction the few thoroughbred stallions at present employed
in Sind already spend the summer months. Such a change would allow the
Bombay Officer more time to devote to the presidency proper. I sincerely
trust that these suggestions will be accepted by the Government of Bombay to
which Government they have been referred by the Government of India.
Number of stal-
lions at stud
work.
56. The number of stallions at stud work is shown in Table IV (page vii).
By this Table it will be seen that in the four large Circles in which horse-
breeding is carried on:—
57 were employed in North-Western Provinces of 72 on the Register.
78 „
„
44 „ „
68 „
„
in North Punjab of 96 on the Register.
in Baluchistan of 55 on the Register.
in South Punjab of 79 on the Register.
The number shown here is the total number of stallions on South Punjab
Register, whereas, the number shown in Table IV includes the unallotted
horses in the Punjab Depôt.
This will show that 83.7 per cent. of all stallions on the Register were at
work, the remainder were detained in the Depôts either for rest or treatment.
This is equal to last year when the average number of stallions at work was
83.6. Considering the trying circumstances under which the stallions have
been maintained during the year under review, this must be looked upon as
satisfactory.