(9)
19. Out of this work, it is much to be regretted that the Public Works
Department have only been able to complete one item, viz., the dissecting
house. It was only in March they saw their way to commence the erection of
the horse isolation boxes, the operation theatre part of the boundary wall and
filling in of a couple of tanks.
GENERAL.
20. During the year under report we had to labour under great difficulties
through the inadequacy of our teaching staff, due to the absence on furlough of
Mr. Burke, Assistant Principal, and want of an Imperial officer who could
devote his whole time to the college. The latter case was fully recognised
by the Examining Board, who remarked that "it is absolutely impossible
for the Imperial officer holding a dual appointment to give time and atten-
tion necessary to turn out good smart practical men." The inadequacy of the
staff was represented shortly after I took over charge of this office, and the
matter was included when discussing the reorganization scheme of this depart-
ment in Bengal at a Conference under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Mr. L.
Hare in January 1905. That Conference urged the importance of appointing
an Imperial officer whose sole time should be devoted to the college. This
recommendation was sanctioned in October last, but as the officer selected did
not put in his appearance until February, it was obviously of little use his
taking up any teaching at the termination of the session. Besides, he was
nominated a member of the Examining Board, shortly after his arrival in
Calcutta, and as a member of that Board he could not be a Principal, Professor
or a Lecturer of any college or school. It may be mentioned that, as the
particular officer sent here was a complete stranger to India and without any
experience of routine work, etc., etc., he has been placed under me for general
training before he can be appointed to assume charge of an important and
responsible office. To further emphasize the want of at least another officer
who could devote his time to this work, Major Raymond, in June 1903, said
his staff were then working at high pressure, and as a result most of them were
either actually on the sick list or showing the effects of a long and arduous
session. At that time there were four lecturers on the staff, two of them
European to teach a total of thirty students. This year we had one European
and three native lecturers with one native lecturer on probation to educate
the maximum number of students the college has reached in our session, viz.,
142 students. Although further comment appears to me to be unnecessary,
I feel it incumbent on me to place on record my conviction that, even with the
return of Mr. Burke and the appointment of an Imperial officer whose solo
duties are to be in connection with the college, the appointment of the second
Imperial officer for the college is urgently required.
21. If we are to cope this year with the suppression of glanders and farcy
over the enormous area of Calcutta and its suburbs and also epizootic
lymphangitis and surra, there is still a greater necessity to employ a second
Imperial officer in the college. I must remind you again that the Punjab
have not less than six Imperial officers conducting veterinary work and cattle-
breeding. It should behove Bengal too, when agriculture is most extensively
carried on, to see that it has a proportionate complement of Imperial officers to
help it to progress in veterinary work and cattle-breeding.
22. The important question of the education of the candidates seeking
admission has been considered lately. I made particular note during the year
that youths with the small educational qualifications hitherto accepted as suffi-
cient should no longer be admitted. So anticipating that the reorganisation
scheme of this department with its proposed enhanced rates of pay will come
into force long before the new candidates of 1906-07 will graduate, I con-
sulted with the other members of the College Committee, and got their per-
mission to try and obtain Government sanction to pass a rule to raise the
standard of educational qualifications for admission to the college. This was
sanctioned, and the rule is now in force.
A. S. TRYDELL, CAPTAIN,
Supdt., Civil Veterinary Dept., Bengal, and Principal,
Bengal Veterinary College.