5
35. The Collector of Shahabad also gives the following interesting details:—
"The age of the animals varies from 2 to 4 years. The class of animal produced after rearing is reported
to be generally moderate, the better class finding a ready sale at the Sonepore Fair and in the Calcutta
markets.
"The animals are sold in this district, specially at the Barahmpore Fair in the Buxar Sub-Division of this
district, and also generally at the homes of the dealers who are residents of this district, particularly at Powt,
Behra, and Saran in the Sudder Sub-Division.
"It is reported that the practice of Bhojpuri dealers is to visit the chief centres of horse trade in the
North-Western Provinces and further west twice in a year, in December and February, and to dispose of the
young stock mostly at the Barahmpore Fair referred to above (which is held twice in a year) and to send down
the remainder after sale to Sonepore in the Saran District. It is also reported that about half of the animals
reared in the Sudder Sub-Division are purchased by a certain Calcutta firm."
36. It will be noticed that it is stated that the best find their way to the
Calcutta market. I have frequently seen them in the Commission stables, and
many useful horses are to be found amongst them. Messrs. Hart Brothers are
amongst the largest purchasers, and in a letter to me, dated 25th October 1899,
Mr. Spooner Hart states —
"I have bought during the last two months about a couple of hundred country-breds, and a very fine lot
they are. The following are the descriptions of the first eight that run from my office door up the line, and
are not selected."
The measurements given show the following:—
Average height
„
age .
„
shank
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
14-2 hands,
4 1/3 years.
7 ¼ inches.
He further adds—
"The above is not at all bad, and the great character of the horses is the effacement of the country-bred;
and with the exception of one Araby like, the rest show the typical thorough-bred outline, and unquestionably are
a wonderful improvement to what one used to meet with some years back. The measurements speak for them-
selves."
By the above it will be seen that the leakage through this channel is great.
37. In order to assist in obtaining reliable information regarding the dis-
posal of stock, the Government of India have decided to depute an officer to
specially selected districts to make the necessary enquiries. Captain Cowper,
10th Bengal Lancers, has been deputed for this purpose, and the districts selected
are Shahpur in North Punjab, Dera Ghazi Khan in South Punjab and
Bulandsbahr in the North-Western Provinces.
If the instructions laid down by the Government of India are carefully
carried out, this must lead to most useful information being obtained.
38. Another system of checking the exportation of horses and young stock
has been instituted this year, and, if continued, it will give Government some
idea of the number bought by dealers and others at our large fairs. The
Agent to the Governor General in Baluchistan, the Commissioner in Sind
and the Local Governments of the North-Western Provinces and the Punjab
were asked by me to request Collectors and Deputy Commissioners to cause a
careful record to be kept of all horses and mules sold to private individuals at
each fair or show, the record to show the price paid and the destination to
which the animals were removed. As I pointed out, this information is
usually at hand from returns kept for the purpose of collecting taxes levied on
sales.
39. The District Officers have done their best to obtain information re-
garding the sales effected, the amounts realized and the destination of the stock,
and although the returns are naturally deficient in some points, still an amount
of valuable information was obtained.
40. Although no returns were received from the Makanpur or Nauchandi
Fairs, still Rs. 60,000 changed hands in private sales in the North-Western
Provinces.
41. In North Punjab Circle returns were only received from three small
fairs, still the amount which changed hands amounted to R37,827.
42. Returns of sales have been received from seven fairs held in South
Punjab Circle; these show the total sales to have realized R7,86,821.