Proceedings of the Hon'ble the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab in the Revenue and Agricultural (General)
Department, No. 1631 S., dated 23rd August 1904.
READ—
Letter No. 2340, dated 29th July 1904, from the Director of Land Records and Agriculture,
Punjab, submitting the Annual Report on the Punjab Veterinary College and the Civil
Veterinary Department for the year 1903-04.
The Punjab Veterinary College.
REMARKS.—The number of students on the rolls of the College shows a
slight increase during the year under report, but there would appear to be still
room for improvement in the selection of Military and District students sent to
the College for training. The results of the examination show a very marked
improvement on previous years and are in every way satisfactory. The new rules
permitting candidates who have failed in one subject only to be re-examined at
the close of the session will result in an economy of time and remove a hardship.
2. It is satisfactory to notice that the competition for admission to the
College has largely increased. The views expressed last year by the Director of
Land Records, that the supply of Veterinary Assistants is not in excess of the
demand, have been justified. The difficulty lies rather in training sufficient men,
and with the appointment of Veterinary Inspectors recently sanctioned by the
Government of India, the demand for trained Assistants will be increased in the
future.
3. A large extension of the College is anticipated from the amalgamation
with it of the existing Veterinary College at Ajmere now under contemplation.
4, Despite the heavy teaching which has to be performed by a limited
staff, good work has been done during the year in the investigation of disease
and in the preparation of text-books. The Lieutenant-Governor agrees with
the Director of Land Records in congratulating Major Pease and the Staff of the
College on what they have done during the year,
5 The Director of Land Records will be asked to examine the conditions
that govern the award of the Wace Scholarships, and to submit any proposals
that may be practicable for a revision of the rules.
The Civil Veterinary Department.
6. During the year under report the separation of the Army Remount
Department from the Civil Veterinary Department has been completed and the
latter Department has been re-organised. The present Report closes a phase
of the history of the Civil Veterinary Department. The work in connection with
cattle, which will in future engage the almost undivided energies of the Depart-
ment, has during the year 1903-04 remained under the supervision of Veterinary
Captain G. K. Walker.
7. The question of assistance to be given by the provision of stallion
ponies in the non-selected districts of the province which possess good breeding
mares discussed in paragraphs 38—40 of the Report has been already dealt with
by the Government of India, and it is therefore unnecessary to do more than refer
to the subject here. The Lieutenant-Governor has learned with satisfaction that
the efforts made in the past to improve the breed of horses in such districts will
not be entirely abandoned.
8. Cattle disease in its various forms has been no less virulent in the
year under report than in the past. It is much to be regretted that the supply
of rinderpest serum, which has now passed beyond the experimental stage and
is winning the confidence of the people, should have been so inadequate. His
Honour hopes that the Government of India may be able to provide for an
increase in the output of the Mukhtesar Laboratory. Veterinary-Captain Walker
has during the year advanced our knowledge of the nature of several of the
cattle scourges of the country, and recorded interesting notes on the results of his
observations. The introduction of that officer's pamphlet, Muhafiz-i-Sihat-i
Maweshi, as a text-book in schools, is engaging His Honour's attention.