REVENUE
DEPARTMENT.
AGKRICULTURE.
CALCUTTA, THE 16TH SEPTEMBER 1898.
RESOLUTION—No. 3158.
READ—
The Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, for the year 1897-98.
Letter No. 1899A., dated 26th August 1898, from the Director of the Department of
Land Records and Agriculture, submitting the Report.
THE report which was due to Government on the 1st June, and which was
submitted by the Superintendent of the Civil Veterinary Department to the
Director of Land Records and Agriculture on 2nd May, was not received from
the latter until the 27th August. The delay was probably in the printing.
The report might have been very much shortened by more systematic arrange-
ment, and a great deal of unnecessary matter was inserted in the appendiees,
defects which the Director of Land Records will set himself, in consultation with
the Superintendent, to put right before the next report is undertaken. Some
of the subjects mentioned do not find a fitting place in an Annual Administra-
tion Report, and should have been dealt with in special reports. These are,
however, defects which will not recur, and the Lieutenant-Governor hastens to
recognize the spirit and energy which have led to notable improvements in
every branch of the work.
2. Bengal Veterinary Institution.—The
hostel attached to the institution at
Belgatehia, affording accommodation to a maximum of fifty students, was opened
during the year, and at the end of the session all the students were resident
within it. The Lieutenant-Governor notices with pleasure the improvement in
discipline which is reported to have followed, as also the success attending
Captain Raymond's efforts to foster a spirit of activity and manliness among
the boarders, by the encouragement of riding and gymnastics and the
exercise of a firm but sympathetic control. Sanction has recently been given
to the lease of a considerable area of land adjoining the hostel which will afford
ample space for the recreation of the students, and for the accommodation of
animals forming the subject of experiment or requiring isolation.
Fifteen students continued their studies in the lower course throughout
the year, and were all successful in the examination for promotion held in
March 1898. The examination continued to be held by the Superintendent,
the proposal that it should be conducted by the Board of Examiners having
fallen through. At the final examination 15 candidates presented themselves,
of whom 14 passed. The results show a considerable improvement on those
of the preceding year, when out of 14 candidates, 9 only were successful.
The difficulty of imparting a thorough practical knowledge during a course of
two years nominally, but which with vacations, &c., is barely a year and a half,
is again represented; the extension of the course to three years is still under
the consideration of the Government of India.
Twenty stipends paid by Government were awarded to students during
the year, and six stipends were contributed by various District Boards and
held by their nominees. The Superintendent draws attention to the regret-
table failure of Muhammadan students, and to the necessity for the exercise
of care on the part of District Boards in the distribution of their nominations.
A statement is annexed to the report, showing the subsequent history of
the 35 passed Veterinary Assistants whom the institution has turned out,
from which it appears that 14 are in permanent employ, 2 obtained perma-
nent posts which they subsequently resigned, 5 are in private practice, 2
have found temporary work, and 2 have been more or less lost sight of;
4 are undergoing further training, and the remaining 6 are but newly passed
and have not yet settled down. It will be seen therefore that the prospects
of employment offered to the students are excellent, while the field of possible
employment is still but slightly trenched on.