SAMULKOTA
,
The 9th January 1894.
J. G. BROWN,
Secretary.
H. F. LAFLAMME,
Chairman.
379
out is based upon (1) the fact that prohibition of
intoxicating liquors has been largely effective in
America where it has been tried, and (2) that the
native character being amenable to authority, the
people of the country, if once convinced that Gov-
ernment desired to put an end to the traffic,
would co-operate with it, and (3) I believe the
general sense of the people is opposed to the use of
the drugs.
In the part of India with which I am acquainted
the hemp plant does not grow wild so far as I have
been able to ascertain. Of course, prohibition of
the traffic implies prohibition of cultivation. How
far this would be practicable in other parts of
India I am not prepared to say.
Question 41.—The general opinion among the
non-users is that the beneficial effects of the drugs
are merely alleged by users as an excuse for a bad
habit. It is the fact that the drugs are more used
in malarious tracts, and probably the users do be-
lieve in their protective effects against fever; but
I have been told by a man who had given up the
use of the drugs that they do not possess this
quality, and the general opinion of non-users is
that I have stated above. The bairagi informant
to whom I have referred above told me that the
real object of taking the drug was to induce
stupor, and nothing else.
Question 45 .—In the case of the convert, my
impression that the man went insane from ganja
came to me from Dr. Leapingwell, who had charge
of him in the jail and asylum. I knew he took
ganja occasionally before I saw the doctor, for I
learnt he had smoked when he returned to his
village after he was baptized, and was locked out
of his house and had his wife and child taken from
him. I subsequently questioned the man, and
came to the conclusion that he was a ganja smok-
er, but only indulged occasionally, not habi-
tually.
In regard to my waterman, I have no evidence
that he smoked ganja beyond the fact that he
associated with bairagis at their periodical visits.
He was evidently under the influence of some
drug when he was violent, and it was certain that
he had not taken spirits.
Question 59 .—The position of our mission is
that Government should not derive revenue from
the vices of the people, or interfere in the traffic
in liquor, opium or drugs, except in the direction
of prohibition. I present herewith (1) a Resolu-
tion of the Conference of Missionaries of the Bap-
tist Foreign Mission Board of Ontario and
Quebec, Canada, comprising 28 members, work-
ing in a territory extending from the Kistna river
on the south to the Vizagapatam taluka on the
north; and (2) a Resolution from 772 of the 2,800
Native Christians of the above mission assembled
in conference, both of which pray for the abolition
of the traffic in hemp drugs. I think myself
justified in saying that the Baptist Missionaries of
the Foreign Mission Board of the Maritime Prov-
inces of Canada, as well as the Native Christians
in their charge and the balance of our own con-
gregation, hold the same opinion. This represents
the opinion of our mission from the Kistna river
on the south to the Uriya-speaking country in
Ganjam on the north and from the sea to the
Ghâts.
At the meeting of the Native Christians I in-
vited any who had seen the hemp plant growing
to stand up and state in how many villages they
had seen it. Ten stood up and gave the names of
124 villages out of a possible 600. The persons
who gave this information had not received instruc-
tions to make the enquiry, and, even if they had,
they would not have been able to ascertain the
whole extent of cultivation.
The Conference in India of the Missionaries of
the Baptist Foreign Mission Board of Ontario and
Quebec, Canada, comprising 28 members, under
whose spiritual care and direction are 2,800 Native
Christians, assembled in session at Samulkota,
January 9th, 1894, unanimously passed the follow-
ing Resolution for submission to the Indian Hemp
Drugs Commission:
—
Whereas the common consumption of hemp
drugs by the people of these districts is in our
opinion accompanied by sadly injurious effects, and
whereas the habit appears to be on the increase, we
would respectfully pray Government to take steps
to prohibit the sale of these hemp drugs for com-
mon consumption.
Signed on behalf of the Conference.
In the districts of Godaveri and Vizagapatam
are 11 Baptist churches with a membership of 772
persons. We, the 40 delegates assembled at Samul-
kota in the Godaveri Association on the 5th
January 1894, representing the above 11 churches,
resolve that since ganja is a poisonous drug, and
people using this as bhang, majum, and in some
other forms suffer various injurious effects, we
earnestly beg the Government to protect the people
by abolishing the ganja trade.
On behalf of the Association.
B. SUBARAIDU.
M. JAGANAIKULU.
SAMULKOTA
,
The 6th January 1894.
159. Evidence of the REV. J. F. BURDITT, Missionary, Narsaravupet,
Kistna District.
1. Only second hand from intimate acquaintance
with native people who have seen something of
the use of the drug.
2.
Ganja is here used to denote the crude drug,
i.e., the flowering tops or rather the seed pods
with the seeds extracted.
VOL. VI.
The juice of this (after abrasion and pressing
through a cloth), mixed with milk, is called bhang.
The drug mixed with ghee and raw sugar forms
majum.
The extracted juice mixed with the leaves of
Tumna chettu ( Acacia arabica ), I am told, forms
3 E 2