19
30. The consumption is usually in solitude. It
is confined principally to grown up males.
31. I have not known of much excess.
32. It is the custom among many classes who
do not drink liquor, to take and offer bhang made
into majoon to their friends at the Holi. This is
generally taken in moderation and does not appear
to lead to a habit of taking it in excess.
33. In small quantities on occasious specially
bhang is not discountenanced by the public, but
in excess it is.
34. I do not think the privation in most cases
would be serious.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of bhang and ganja. That of charas might be
more restricted as it is in this district. If prohi-
bited, the drugs would be got illicitly, and where
it grows spontaneously it would be impossible to
prohibit its use. It would cause serious dis-
content and other stimulants would be taken.
36. I have no reason to think so.
40. Bhang is given to cattle.
41. (a) It is said to be so.
(b) There is no doubt bhang is good fo
thirst.
(c) It is largely used by lower classes for this
purpose in malarious tracts.
42. The moderate use of bhang would appear
to be harmless, as one never hears of bad results in
consequence.
43. Yes.
53. It does no doubt sometimes, as liquor would.
I am unable to cite a case at present.
57. Only smoked in this district.
58. Yes. It works well. I am unable to
suggest any improvement.
63. Can suggest no improvement.
65. Reasonable.
66 and 67. No.
68. In this district drugs are not consumed at
the shops.
69. If an objection is raised, it is duly consi-
dered and measures taken to prevent the shops
being objectionable to any one as far as possible.
19. Evidence of LIEUTENANT-COLONEL F. BARROW,* Deputy Commissioner, Gonda,
Oudh
1. The experience of a District Officer since
1869.
3. Gonda district in Oudh.
4. Bhang.
6. Scattered.
7. In the north of the Gonda district the plant
called here "bhang" is often allowed to grow in
large patches, and especially around the sites of
villages. Villagers say they have no use for the
plant, and that they treat it as a weed and burn
it. There can be no doubt that the plant so
grown is sold as bhang to bhang contractors.
10. No special class.
12. No.
14. The wild bhang plants are collected and sold.
23. Yes.
27. The wandering "fakir" is the most habitual
consumer.
33. Public opinion is against the consumption.
34. No.
35. The bhang plant is useful as a tonic for
horses and cattle according to native opinion, and
is said to be often used for cattle. I do not know
how far this is true. The drug would certainly be
consumed illicitly, and could easily be obtained
from Nepal for this district. No political danger
if use prohibited, but of course prohibition would
be followed by recourse to alcoholic stimulants or
other drugs.
51. I have no experience of moderate consumers,
but I have seen persons intoxicated with bhang,
and the effect of such intoxication has been to ren-
der them unable to understand what was going on
around them or to answer questions intelligibly
53. It is popularly supposed to do so.
54. It is often said that this is done.
58. I think the hemp plant should only be
grown or cultivated under a license.
59. See under 58.
62. It should be controlled by compelling per-
sons, who allow the plant to grow spontaneously,
or who cultivate it, to take out licenses. These
persons should then only be allowed to sell to
licensed purchasers and for consumption of cattle
only.
63. Sales should be allowed lor use of cattle
only.
64. I would not allow import of ganja and
charas into provinces where these do not grow.
68. None, and noue such should be allowed.
69. No to first part of question. The Collector
of the district usually restricts the number of
shops under orders of the Commissioner of Excise
and the Board of Revenue.
20. Evidence of MR. W. R. PARTRIDGE, Deputy Commissioner of Garhwal District,
1. 1 have been ten years in the Civil Service in
the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, and have
held charge of the Excise Department in three
Districts—Gorakhpur, Benares and Garhwal.
2. 1 believe so, but I have never seen ganja
manufactured, and will not answer for the correct-
ness of the processes described. Bhang, charas
(or sulfa), ganja.
3. The hemp plant grows spontaneously and in
abundance in Garhwal District, of which I have
been Deputy Commissioner for close on three years
past. I have seen it growing wild in Gorakhpur
district.
4. Jaugli bhang is the only name that I have
heard it called by.
5. That I cannot say, not having studied this
point closely; but I have seen wild hemp growing
in this district, at elevations from a little over
3,000 to some 6,000 feet above sea level.
6. I do not know precisely what sense to attach
to the terms "dense" and "scattered." I have
not come upon it growing over several acres
without a break. Patches of a few square yards
in extent are what I have commonly seen.
7. I answer the question as corrected. Yes;
* Summoned to attend at a meeting of the Commission for oral examination, but was unable to appear.
vol. v.
G 2