9
This must go to prove that owners can find a more profitable market
than that offered by Government.
75. Imperial Service Cavalry.—One hundred and eighty-five remounts
were purchased, against 245 last year, being a reduction of 60. Only 7.02 per
cent. of pedigrees were obtained. Of the 185 purchased, only 32 per cent. were
mares.
76. The list of remounts furnished by the Inspector-General, Imperial
Service Troops, does not, however, appear to be complete, as returns received
from fairs show remounts to have been purchased which are not included in the
list supplied to this office. I am addressing that officer on the subject with a
view of obtaining more complete returns in future.
Collections of young
stock for purchase
by Army Remount
Department.
77. These collections of young stock have been continued this year, in order
to endeavour to bring the breeders and Remount Officers together, but I fear
that they are doing more harm than good. The following will show the districts
visited and the number of young stock obtained in each:—
Ferozepore
tour
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Dera Ghazi Khan tour
.
.
.
.
.
.
Rawalpindi tour
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Gujranwala
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Meerut tour
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Baluchistan tour
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
TOTAL
3
Nil.
1
1
2
6
13
78. Reporting on these tours, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, South Punjab, points out that when a breeder has a good foal, he either
sells it when he happens to want money, or, if not pressed in this way, he
prefers to get the youngster in condition and to bring it to a show for sale.
79. The dealers have agents in most districts, they are therefore able to avail
themselves of breeders' embarrassments, and their thorough knowledge on this
point gives them great advantages. Again, it is immaterial to a dealer in what
condition young stock is; he will buy it however poor, and will soon put dealers'
condition upon it.
Veterinary Lieutenant Smith also adds—
"If one could stay and bargain with breeders for a week, as a dealer would, the results might be different."
80. More success was met with in the Thal Chotiali District, Baluchistan.
Here about 50 head of stock were collected and 12 were selected as suitable
and 6 were bought, the remaining 6 had to be left, as the owners asked more
than the Remount Agent was prepared to pay. Three of the youngsters
bought were by thorough-bred Australian sires.
81. I fear that these collections are productive of more harm than good,
especially is this the case in the Dera Ghazi Khan District, where large collec-
tions of young stock were made and where none were purchased; this so
annoyed the Chiefs that Jalab Khan and others purposely sold to dealers at the
show rather than let the Remount Agent obtain them.
82. On this point the Judging Committee, reporting on the Dera Ghazi
Khan Horse Show, held in March last, state as follows:—
"It is to beregretted that the British Remount Officer was only able to purchase three. The Committee
upon enquiry were informed by the owners that they had collected their young stock at several places in the
district, last December, for inspection by an officer of the Remount Department, and that none were purchased.
They therefore sold their stock, practically before the fair was open, to dealers in preference to waiting for the
arrival of the remount purchasing officer."
83. I shall recommend that these tours, with the exception of that held in
Baluchistan, should in future be discontinued.
Purchase of young
stock by Officers of
the Civil Veterinary
Department.
84. In last year's Administration Report I stated that, at the desire of the
Director, Army Remount Department, orders had been issued to the various
officers concerned to buy one head of young stock at any fair which may have
been rejected by officers of the Remount Department. I mentioned that I
considered the scheme to be unworkable, but from close observation at the
various horse shows I am more than convinced that it cannot be carried out.
The matter will therefore be referred to Government for orders.
C