58
the fields, they generally carried a small quantity
of ganja to freshen them after a hard day's work ;
that it was cheaper than liquor, and easy to carry
about, as a small packet in a man's waist cloth
would last a long time.
26. See above.
27. See 25.
28. The cost depends on the source of supply.
29. I am told dhatura is occasionally used to
add to the exciting qualities of the drug, but have
no positive knowledge. In the days of palki-
travelling, dooly-bearers used to mix ganja in small
quantities with tobacco to chew as they went along
to lessen the sensation of fatigue.
30. Moderate consumers make no secret of its
use that I am aware of. I have seen small paper
packets of broken ganja carried in the folds of a
pugg ri.
31. Yes, easily formed ; and, once formed, very
difficult to break from ; but the tendency to deve-
lop into the excessive depends on the individual.
33. The use of the drug is generally accepted
as a sign of dissolute habits.
34. I am not prepared to use the word serious ;
not such a serious privation as in the case of opium.
An opium-eater on admission to jail has to be care-
fully watched as to his health, and it is often
necessary for a short time to treat him with stimu-
lants. After this he recovers the privation and
rapidly increases in weight. No notice is taken
of a man who is a ganja eater or smoker when
known to be such.
35. Not feasible to prohibit; would be consum-
ed illicitly. The prohibition could not be enforced,
and would cause discontent.
36. On the contrary—see 25.
41. Yes—see 29.
42. The danger would be in the tendency to go
from moderate to habitual use.
43. I should answer in the affirmative.
44. Stimulating and refreshing : if taken in ex-
cess, intoxicating.
45. I have always understood it to induce lazi-
ness and debauchery.
51. Yes. Nearly all bad characters are con-
sumers to a greater or less degree. The dissolute
habits engendered by its use leads to crime against
property.
53. Yes, I think so. Running] " amok " is,
I should say, always the result of excessive indul-
gence.
57. Broken ganja is, I believe, chewed.
58. Yes. I do not know that it can be
im-
proved. The increased sales point to its being
a check on illicit cultivation for sale.
69. If objections were lodged, they would re-
ceive due consideration.
Oral evidence.
Question 12.—I remember an inquiry being
made by me in camp in Chhindwara many years
ago when I was assistant there. I found then
many cases of the private cultivation of ganja
there. I have heard in conversation with Police
officers that this cultivation is common, and that
the police usually pass it over, though there is
a r e w a r d . I m e a n t h e y d o n o t h u n t o u t s u c h c a s e s
in baris. Of course in case of private enmity
they report. My experience is mainly confined to
Chhindwara ; but, from enquiries made, I believe it
to be fairly general. By ganja, I mean the hemp
plant generally. It is only consumers who thus
grow it; not as an article of commerce. If the
police reported such cases, the reports would go to
the magistrate, not to me. The enquiry I refer to
was made in Chhindwara twenty years ago. I do
not remember when the restriction of ganja was
ordered, as I was on other than revenue work.
The enquiries I have recently made were from
natives generally on my recent tour. I cannot
say in what district. It was probably in Ho-
shangabad, because I wrote my answers there.
Question 17.—I have only recently taken up the
post of Inspector-General. In a recent case of
departmental enquiry into an assault by a con-
stable on his head constable, the defence was that
he smoked ganja three times a day, at a cost of
4½ pies. This is the only case I know. I have no
knowledge of how far ganja is used by the police,
or how far it interferes with their work or their
official character. I should say that a man would
not let it be known that he was a consumer.
Question 19.—I have known that men (e.g.,
jail officials, men in regiments, &c.) on duty carry
ganja in their puggris, or even note books, and I
conclude that it is intended to chew it on duty.
I have also seen dooly-bearers chew it with tobacco.
I know that ganja is also smoked ; but I do not
know how it is prepared for this. Chewing is not
the usual form ; but the ganja is chewed when it
is desired to consume it surreptitiously.
Question 25.—The cultivation by villagers I
allude to is in baris and carried on furtively. I
believe that this cultivation is on a small scale to
get ganja for harvest times, when the labourer
cannot get his liquor easily. I think that the
number of regular ganja smokers in villages is few ;
and I think that where a villager has a bari he
furtively cultivates his own ganja. I base these
remarks on my experience in all districts in which
I have served, on information I received. I have
not seen it in any district except Chhindwara, for
I have not been much in camp. My Chhindwara
experience was of twenty years ago. Baris are
all private property ; and unless one went in he
would not see the plant.
Question 35.—I think that the prohibition of
the use of the drugs would not be feasible,
because the plant could be cultivated so easily with
little fear of detection. Smuggling, of course,
would also have to be faced as a difficulty, especi-
ally in such places as Saugor and Damoh. The
present system has, of course, checked private
cultivation, because there is a punishment attached
to cultivation, and certain people have an interest
in exposing it.
Question 51.—In jails a large number of casuals
might not be found to be consumers; but I think
that if you got at the truth you would find fifty
per cent. of the habituals to be consumers. I
should say that over a whole jail, like the Jabalpur
jail, the average would be over twenty-five per
cent. I think that all habituals, as now de-
fined, are not bad characters properly so called.
Therefore I conclude that more than fifty percent.
of bad characters are consumers. The excessive
consumer is a dissolute person who will not work.
Therefore he has a tendency to commit offences
against property when he runs out of cash. This
does not refer to the moderate use. I cannot refer
to cases ; but I fancy every magistrate has had
such cases.