79
PAPAVER
somniferum.
ADMINISTRA-
TION.
Encourage-
ment given to
Native States
to a more
careful exeise
system,
Cultivation of
Malwa Poppy.
Period of
Export.
Routes of
Transit.
Weight of
Chest,
Weighment
and Duty. ,
the Economic Products of India.
Malwa Opium.
and R700 if weighed elsewhere. The pass duty on all opium consumed in
India is credited to Provincial Revenue, and that on opium exported to
China to Imperial Revenue. Under orders issued in August 1889 the
duty levied on Malwa opium imported to the Native States of the Panjáb
is now assigned to those States : the concession was granted with the
object of interesting the States in an excise system and the suppression of
opium smuggled from Rájputana.
"The poppy is sown in Malwa in November ; the plants are in flower in
the beginning of February, and by the end of March the whole of the opium
is collected by the cultivators and ready for sale. The village bankers,
who get possession of the raw opium, retain it till the end of April, and
during May and June it is bought by the large dealers who make it up
into cakes of 12 ounces each, and expose it in store-houses to dry for the
next two months, after which it is ready for the scales. Generally the opium
is ready for export in September, but as considerable dryage takes place
in its transport to Bombay while new, it is usually kept until October,
unless an expected increase of duty or pecuniary difficulties of the dealer
compel the owners to bring the drug earlier to the scales. Before Septem-
ber 1,866 chests were sent to Bombay from Indore viá Manpur, Scindwa,
and Manmad, the transit occupying twenty days on an average. In that
month a new route was adopted viá Simrol and Barwari to the Great
Indian Peninsula Railway at Khandwa which reduced the time of transit
to eight days. The only authorised routes by which opium can now be
imported by land into Bombay (after leaving the scales) are—(a) direct
into the town of Ahmedabad from any place on the frontier of the Kadi
division in the territory of His Highness the Gaekwar, which the local
Government may from time to time appoint ; (b) by rail from Khandwa or
viá Palanpur and Ahmedabad ; ( c ) and in the case of opium belonging to
His Highness the Maharaval of Dungarpur, from Kherwada, by Vich-
wada, Samera, Sambagi, Tintoi, Bakrol, Lembhoi, Dhakrol, Madhuka,
Harsol, Ujdia, Dehgam, Naroda, to Ahmedabad under an escort fur-
nished by His Highness and subject to examination as to number, weight,
and tampering in transit at any of the above places which the Local Gov-
ernment may appoint in this behalf.
"Passports have been granted since January 1858 at Ahmedabad where
the scales are superintended by an officer of the Opium Department,
Bombay, and, since February 1877, at Ajmere. Passports are now granted
by the Government Opium Agent at Indore and Ajmere (or by an officer
authorised by one of these Agents) or Ahmedabad, or by some other
officer duly authorised in that behalf by the Governor General in Council
or the Local Government. The Ajmere scales were made use of for the
first time in November I877. A chest of Malwa opium contains 140lb net
weight, to which an allowance of 4 oz. is added for leaf and dust, making
a total of 140½lb.
" The rules in force at the Malwa Agency (and the same are applicable
at Ahmedabad and Ajmere) for the weighment of opium and the grant
of passports are as follow :—The opium ready packed in half chests (for
the convenience of carriage), is brought to the Government godown by the
merchants and brokers, who tender for the duty hundis bearing interest at
five per cent. per annum, drawn on some trustworthy firm in Bombay, and
payable at six days' sight to the General Treasury at the Bank of Bombay.
These, on being approved, registered, and numbered, are forwarded with
the register to the Accountant General, Bombay. At the Ahmedabad
Agency the duty (R650) may be paid cash or by hundi, payable at sight
at the Bank of Bombay, and at the Ajmere Agency also by cash or by
kundi, drawn on some trustworthy firm at Bombay and payable at sight.
Issue of
Passports.