1
7
total revenue from country spirits for 1892-93
gives an incidence of 8 annas per consumer.
Ganja being emphatically the poor man's intoxi
-
cant, I think these incidences are relatively proper.
I am not in a position to estimate the incidence of
opium revenue per consumer.
68. The consumption of opium, madak, ganja,
bhang and majum on the premises of licensed
vendors of those thugs was entirely prohibited in
September 1890, and the prohibition has been in
force since the 1st April 1891.
69. Hitherto the public have confined themselves
to objecting in a few instances to the location of
liquor shops and stills. In this connection refer
-
ence is invited to paragraph 9 of the Chief
Commissioner's Resolution on the Excise Report
for 1892-93, where it is recorded that in the
Central Provinces no well-defined public opinion
exists regarding excise questions.
70. The smuggling of hemp drugs is fully
dealt with in the memorandum prepared in accord-
ance with the request in paragraph 3 Of the
Commission's letter No. 28, dated the 11th
August 1893, to the address of the Secretary to
the Chief Commissioner, Central Provinces.
10. Evidence of Mr. F. G. SLY, Settlement Officer, Hoshangabad.
I have the honour to state that I and my assist
-
ants have made detailed enquiries during the
present camping season regarding the extent to
which cultivators use hemp drugs.
All the information collected tends to show that
cultivators do not in this district use hemp drugs
as a stimulant in seasons of hard work. Of course
there is a very small percentage who use these
drugs habitually throughout the year, but it is not
on this point that the information was required.
Some of the information collected by my assistants
tends to show that a limited number of Gonds and
Karkus do use hemp drugs during seasons of hard
work, such as ploughing, sowing, etc. I myself
have not yet inspected the hilly portions of Harda
tahsil, where aborigines are numerous, and I can
-
not therefore confirm this statement from personal
enquiries. The information collected, however,
tends to show that the use of hemp drugs as a
stimulant to hard work is very limited indeed
even amongst aborigines. These consumers state
that its effect is to dispel fatigue, enliven the
spirits, and induce appetite. The good cultivat
-
ing castes say that they never use ganja or bhang
as a stimulant to hard work, but that during the
seasons of hard work they increase the quantity
of their food and more particularly of ghee and
milk.
Some few Mahratta Brahman malguzars say
that bhang is administered in small quantities to
bullocks during the seasons of hard work ; it is
said to dispel fatigue and render bullocks capable
of performing extra work. My enquiries tend to
show that this practice is very limited.
11. Evidence of PURSHOTAM DASS, R. B., Settlement Officer, Wardha.
From enquiries made by my subordinates in
this district while in camp, I am in a position to
report that as a rule these drugs are not used by
cultivators as a stimulant in seasons of hard work
as a general rule. In villages situated near jungle,
cultivators or labourers who have to stand the
whole night in the open watching their fields to
protect them against wild animals do sometimes
smoke ganja which keeps them warm during the
cold nights of winter, but the drug is expensive
and not easily procurable. I put the percentage
of the cultivating classes using ganja at about
3 per cent., and with such persons the use of ganja
becomes a habit. Very few indeed use these
drugs as an occasional stimulant.
I regret that owing to adverse circumstances,
I have not been able to send in this report until
now.
12. Evidence of BHARGOW LAXMON GADGIT, Brahmin, Extra Assistant
Commissioner, Nagpur.
1. I have been serving in the Revenue Depart
-
ment for thirty years. I have served in eight
districts, and the information I have obtained is
from matters coming before me officially, from
inquiries made from the consumers of the drug,
and from observations made by me from time to
time.
2. There is only one kind of ganja (flat) known
in this province. Charas is not collected.
Bhang is not grown for use in this province,
but it is imported from North-Western Provinces.
Definitions of these drugs as given in Dr. Prain's
report on ganja may be accepted for this province.
The dry leaves and refuse of the ganja is also
called bhang.
3. As far as I am aware, hemp plant does not
grow spontaneously in any of the districts I have
seen.
5. Wild hemp is not grown in this province.
7. Hemp plant is grown in the district of
Nimar for the purpose of ganja and for seed.
The area under cultivation in 1892-93 was
940
acres.
8. The figures for the past five years are given
below :—
Outturn
Acres. deposited
in store.
1888-89
940 9,826
1889-90
992 11,1,66
1890-91
520 7,224
1891-92
653 6,684
1892-93
940 6,685
The variations are according to the demand and
crop of the year. There has not been any consi
-
derable increase or decrease.