38
gling in small quantities at a time is extremely
common. Any further prohibition would only lead
to further smuggling, and it would be impossible
to stop it. Such smuggling would probably not be
in large quantities at a time, but in small quanti-
ties, brought in by practically every person who had
occasion to go into any of the adjoining Native
States. As probably all the residents of this
district have relatives in some of these Native
States, they would have the greatest facilities for
smuggling the drugs. Quadrupling the police
force of the district would be unavailing for the
suppression of such smuggling.
Serious discontent would undoubtedly be caused,
but not in this district sufficient to amount to a
political danger.
Among the more well-to-do classes such a pro-
hibition would probably be followed by recourse
to alcoholic stimulants ; among the lower classes
it would undoubtedly be followed by recourse to
alcohol as far as consistent with their means.
Unless, however, the price of liquor was lowered,
they could not afford to take so much stimulant
in the form of alcohol as they can in the form of
hemp drugs. The simplest way of lessening the
consumption of these drugs would be to lower the
price and improve the quality of country spirit.
In this district, it being under outstills and not
under the distillery system, the liquor is fairly
cheap and of good strength ; there has therefore
been no tendency to replace country spirit by
hemp drugs. There is, however, I think, very little
doubt that such a tendency has appeared in other
districts where liquor is dearer and weaker.
Cheapening the country spirit would no doubt put
an end to this tendency, and would in my opinion
considerably lessen the consumption of hemp
drugs.
86. The tendency, if anything, is the reverse.
The cost of liquor being far more in comparison
with its intoxicating power than that of the drugs,
the tendency, if anything, is for drugs to replace
liquor. Lower the price of alcoholic liquor and
the consumption of hemp drugs will be reduced.
51. I have seen no such connection. A large
proportion of bad characters in the slums of larger
towns undoubtedly consume madak and chaudu.
There is nothing, however, to show any such con-
nection between the hemp drugs and crime.
53. I have met with one case in which a police
constable under the influence of bhang threw small
stones at his comrades who were drilling, and 6at
at the door of his quarters with his rifle threat-
ening to shoot any one who tried to take it from
him. The rifle was, however, got away from him
without difficulty or accident.
58. On the whole it works well.
59. There is one point, which has, I believe,
been amended or will shortly be so. There
is (or perhaps was) no provision in the Excise Act
awarding a penalty for importing these drugs in
quantities below that which a person is entitled
legally to possess. This has been pointed out,
and, I believe, the Excise Act is being amended
so as to cover such cases.
63. None.
64. See answer to question 59.
65. (a) I think the taxation is reasonable with
regard to one another.
(b) I should like to see the taxation higher in
comparison with alcoholic liquors ; at present the
incidence of taxation encourages the consumption
of hemp drugs at the expense of alcohol ; and as
the former are undoubtdly the more harmful, such
an incidence is mischievous.
69. The shops have mostly been open for years
and no new ones are now being licensed. There
is nothing to show what measures were taken
when they were first opened. Occasionally a shop
is transferred from one village to another. If any
inhabitant of the new village were to object (I
have not yet met with 6uch a case) the transfer
would not be permitted. I should say it would
not be of the least value to consult local opinion.
If it were suggested to open a shop in any locality,
local opinion would invariably say there was no
objection. The consumption of hemp drugs not
being looked down upon in any way, and con-
sumers not being harmful to their neighbours, it
can hardly be expected that local opinion should
oppose the opening of a shop.
?0. No import duty is paid on drugs brought
from Native States, the revenue being raised by
letting the right of sale by auction. Smuggling
is undoubtedly extremely common throughout this
and the neighbouring districts. The quantities
smuggled at a time are small, and it is quite im-
possible to prevent it. The district is so cut up
by Native States that it would be absolutely im-
possible to guard the borders adequately. Such
cases as are brought up are usually more the re-
sult of accident than of anything else. This is
casting no reflection on the police; it is simply
due to the irregularity and extent of the border
line. All classes bring over small quantities of
the drug when they happen to pay a visit to
Native States and consume it in private. It is
to the interest of the lessees to stop this practice
but even they rarely succeed in getting informa-
tion on the subject.
33. Evidence of PANDIT SRILAL, Offg. Joint Magistrate, Bareilly.
1. As Secretary to the Bijnour Agricultural
Society from 1880 to 1884 and as a student of the
Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, from
1885 to 1887, I had opportunities to study the
hemp plant agriculturally, while as an. Excise
officer off and on for about a year, I had to deal
with the hemp drugs in the Etah and Bareilly
districts.
2. These definitions may be accepted for this
province. Bhang is also locally known as sabzi,
patti, zarda, bijiya, and bunti. Charas also goes
by the name of sulfa. Ganja has no other local
name.
3. The hemp plant grows spontaneously and
abundantly along the Himalayan Terai. It is
also found here and there in those portions of the
districts of Pilibhit and Bareilly which lie imme-
diately adjacent to the Terai.
4. The plant is locally known by the name of
bhang.
5. The plant is grown in the Himalayas on
elevations between 3,000 and 7,000 feet. It
requires moist climate and rich soil for its growth.
6. The growth of the wild hemp is ordinarily
dense. It forms, as a rule, small patches at the