MANITOBA SUPERINTENDENCY,
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR,
WINNIPEG, 21st October, 1896.

The Honourable
The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs,
Ottawa.

SIR, - In submitting to the department my nineteenth annual report of inspection of the different Indian agencies within this superintendency, I would respectfully state for your information that their condition is reasonably satisfactory, considering the numerous complications which are frequently involved in their management.

General Observations. - The Indian agents, medical officers and other officials are generally discharging in a commendable manner the various responsible duties incumbent upon them in connection with their respective positions. The payments of annuities are accurately made to those entitled thereto, in accordance with the stipulations of the several treaties, and so carefully is this important matter attended to that seldom is any irregularity ever discovered in the pay-sheets.

Health and Sanitary Condition. - The sanitary regulations in reference to cleanliness on the different reserves are strenuously enforced, and in many instances, especially around dwelling-houses, scrupulously observed. Liberal supplies of medicines are kept at dispensaries established in central localities for the convenience of those afflicted with various diseases, of which consumption, scrofula and syphilis are the most prevalent and fatal. Measles, scarlatina, variola and other eruptive fevers are invariably attended with considerable mortality, but under the judicious treatment of those experienced physicians appointed to prescribe for them the malignity of these diseases is greatly diminished, and the condition of patients frequently ameliorated.

Destitute Indians. - On each reserve a limited quantity of provisions is regularly distributed, as occasion may require, to the old, infirm and destitute, who are incapable of providing for themselves, and consequently, under ordinary circumstances, no serious destitution of these unfortunate classes of Indians is to be apprehended.

Occupation. - The different occupations by which the Indians of this superintendency obtain their livelihood are farming, hunting, trapping, fishing, gathering berries, digging seneca, working on steamboats, in saw-mills, at the fisheries, as voyageurs, making railway ties, cutting saw-logs and cordwood.

Farming Operations. - In consequence of the unusually cold, wet weather experienced last season, sowing and planting were unavoidably late, and therefore the quantity of cereals harvested was below the average of previous years; but this deficiency was somewhat compensated by the increased quantity of roots and vegetables grown.

Stock. - Owing to the luxuriant pasturage abounding on the reserves, and the comparative absence of flies last summer, the cattle everywhere are in excellent condition, and their numbers are gradually increasing.

Buildings and Farm Implements. - Great improvement in buildings is noticeable. Better and more commodious dwelling-houses and stables are constructed, and greater care is taken of stock. Although the Indians have repeatedly been requested to gather all their farming implements, and have them properly stored away in winter, yet it often happens that these articles are left scattered about their premises. The attention of the agents has, however, been called to this gross negligence, and they have been instructed to have this matter strictly attended to hereafter.

Education. - There are fifty-one day-schools, three boarding-schools and two industrial-schools in operation within this superintendency, having an attendance of one thousand six hundred and ninety-one children. Of these day-schools thirty-two are