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to District officials for verification; as these are found to be generally correct,
we can safely say that these Returns are reliable.
199. It is, however, more with Produce Returns that I think we are still
somewhat astray. To arrive at correct results, the Zilladars must travel
regularly, and must ascertain personally the results of the previous year's
coverings; this they frequently will not do, as is so often proved by the check
applied by the District officials; in fact, one Zilladar, when called upon for his
reasons for reporting the result of a covering incorrectly, stated that "when
pressed for time, he arrived at the result by guessing." If one man is
sufficiently honest to own to this system of working, 1 fear many more do so
surreptitiously; still, the district check has had most favourable results, and
taken altogether, the working during the past year has been more satisfactory.
200. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western
Provinces and Oudh, reports:—
"There is apparently an improvement in the working of the Zilladars. They are more careful in
submitting their reports and returns, there having been only three fined this year for carelessness."
201. I regret that the check, carried out by District officials, was not
commenced sufficiently early in the year in the North-Western Provinces to
allow of the results being recorded in this Annual Administration Report. On
this point, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western
Provinces and Oudh, states:—
"The foaling certificates were sent to the District Officers for verification, but as the Zilladars state that
the discrepancies pointed out by the Patwaris are not correct, the returns have again been submitted to the
District Officers with the explanation of the Zilladars concerned."
202. This Superintendent has been asked to commence this check
sufficiently early, in future, to allow of the results being recorded in the
Annual Report of the year during which it is made.
203. I regret that the satisfactory working of the zilladars employed in
Baluchistan, which was such a noticeable feature last year, has not been main-
tained during the year under report; these men have frequently been warned
and fined, and one has been dismissed; still the small number of produce shown
this year cannot be an actual fact, but must be ascribed entirely to the bad
working of these subordinates. This can best be seen by comparing the
results with those obtained last year. Whereas, we find that 47.01 per cent.
of mares covered held in 1895-96, only 27.20 per cent. held this year; this
can only be ascribed to the fact that last year the zilladars had only just been
appointed and were energetic, this year they have done the minimum amount
of work possible, in fact their working can be said to have been most unsatis-
factory. The Superintendent's attention will be called to this fact.
204. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab,
states:—
"The system of checking zilladars' returns by means of selecting at random some extracts of Produce
Returns, and submitting them to the Deputy Commissioner for verification by tehsildars, appears to work well
as it causes the zilladars to exercise more care in the preparation of their returns. The check was worked,
twice during the year, and very few discrepancies were discovered, these being afterwards explained by the
zilladars."
205. Notwithstanding the check, and the fact that zilladars are bound to
be more careful than they have hitherto been, still, there can be no doubt
that many risk the chance of being discovered rather than take the trouble
of ascertaining the results of coverings correctly. Referring to this, the above-
mentioned Superintendent states:—
"A great many results are probably put down as 'not held' instead of 'not known' for it is much simpler
for a zilladar to put the result under the former head, as thereby he does not expose himself to the chance
of being called upon to account for his not ascertaining the result."
206. Veterinary Captain Joslen, Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, South Punjab, has devoted much attention to this important subject
during the year under review, and states:—
"These Returns are seldom correct; zilladars obtain information, as to the results of coverings and the
number of foals dropped, second-hand, instead of finding it out personally. They also deliberately falsify
their returns. One zilladar, in submitting a return, stated that he had to fill it up by guess work. A com-
plaint was received about the same time, signed by the headmen of a village in this zilladar's district stating
that he falsified his Returns, and did not travel in his district. The case is under investigation."
207. The system of checking returns through the Revenue Establishment
is not as satisfactory as it should be. When the question of instituting this