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Divisional Magistrate. I have had no official
duties in connection with insanes as District Ma-
gistrate except as a visitor to the asylum. I was
only a Junior Magistrate for seven years, and
after that had no magisterial work for six years.
Alcohol has certainly not come to my notice in
connection with insanity, and I have no recollec-
tion of its being connected with any crimes of
violence. I can remember no ill-effects coming
to my notice in regard to natives. I have no
reason to believe that either alcohol or ganja is
doing any harm in my district. I allude here
only to crime, not to physical effects. I have
made two tours in the Wynaad, where the drug is
mostly used. I have asked my subordinates to
find men who used the drug. They brought up
men; but when I asked them, they all but one
man denied it. These were not jungle men,
though it was in the Wynaad; but jungle men
are not the only consumers there. The Wynaad
was the only part I visited after getting the
Commission's questions. Before that I had never
endeavoured to find out in the district whether
ganja was used. I had when I was Secretary
to the Board. I do not know that a consider-
able percentage of insanity is ascribed to ganja
in Government reports. I have not studied
lunacy. I know that the people will not admit
using the drug, and take that to be a popular
feeling against it; but I do not know of any
feeling among the people that it is injurious.
I know nothing of injurious physical effects from
ganja; but I have seen a few natives in hospitals
whose ailments were ascribed to alcohol.
Question 58.—I have no suggestions to add
to what I have made in my paper. If it were
feasible and possible, I should recommend pro-
hibition of cultivation with a view to much
greater restriction. This view is not founded on
any experience of the drug, but on what I have
heard of the drug. If what I have heard of it
is true, it would be a good thing for the country
if we could stamp it out. What I have heard
is entirely from Europeans. My feeling about
the desirability is founded on what may be called
the European opinion of the drug; what is said
in books, in missionary papers; what I have
seen in newspapers and in pamphlets; and chiefly
from what I have read of this evidence before
this Commission. All this is so much against
the drug that I think prohibition of cultivation
seems desirable.
I have no sufficient material for forming an
opinion as to whether ganja or alcohol is more
deleterious. If two men were brought to me,
one intoxicated with ganja and the other with
alcohol, I should not know the difference.
Prohibition of cultivation being impossible, I
have no suggestions beyond those contained in my
answers No. 59 and No. 64 for improvement of
system in Malabar. I am not prepared to say
anything about the rest of the province, as I
have not considered the subject in other districts.
Question 63.—I understand that the rule as
it at present stands is that no one may sell with-
out a license. And what I desire is that the rule
prohibiting sale by a cultivator except to a
licensed vendor should be enforced; and more
than that, I would compel every cultivator who
sells to take a license of vend before selling to
the licensed vendor. This would, I think, restrict
cultivation. I do not think it would interfere
with the licensed vendor's supply, as I believe
he would get men to take out licenses and grow
for him.
Question 65.—I do not see how a heavier tax
could be imposed without prohibiting cultivation.
Nor can I say what proportionate taxation would
be. I cannot determine the relative intoxicating
effects of this drug and alcohol.
Question 15 .—I have no personal recollection
of the action of the Board in 1889, being due in
any way to what was heard of the effects of the
drugs. I may have been on privilege leave when
the first orders issued. At all events, I do not
recollect the grounds of the action taken. My
impression is that the limitation of the action
taken to sale was due to so little being known of
the drug. I think, however, that the origin of
the matter was at the time the Act was passed,
and that the policy was started before the Act was
passed. The fixed fee license was first imposed;
but I think it was the intention from the very
first to go on to auction. Of course everything
that was done was tentative. I am aware that in
the excise reports the Government have expressed
surprise at the amount of consumption these
measures brought to light. One of the objects of
their measures was to ascertain the amount of
consumption and to find out generally about the
drug.
15. Evidence of MR. C. H. MOUNSEY, Acting Collector of Cuddapah.
1. My experience as a Revenue Officer.
2. In some parts of this district what is really
the male flower is called the female and vice versd.
Imported and locally made ganja are known as
follows in this district :—
(1) Mulki, local.
(2) Almoori, from Bezwada and surrounding
places.
(3) Shamshabudi, from Hyderabad, etc. (this
is round shaped).
(4)
Javvaji, from Madras.
The name of siddhi is not known. Charas is
not made. In the sub-division, flowering tops of
female hemp plants are pressed under heavy
weights, exposed every day in the morning to the
sun, and then made into small packets. Ganja
and bhang in Pullampet taluk is colloquially
known as gnanapatrika and seedhapatrika, Flat
ganja is known as almarpatri, and round or
broken ganja as gnanapatri.
4. Zanapa in Telegu, sunni in Hindustani.
7. (a) and (c) Yes.
As back-yard cultivation; some 10 or 20 plants
at a time, or in odd corners of garden cultivation
with ragi and chillies throughout the district.
Its cultivation by the area (to the extent of three
to five acres) is only in Vemula and Velupulla of
Puluiendla taluk, Zella Slapalli, Mittaomidipalli,
Ledapalli, Chennampalli, and Kaunavaripalli of
Cuddapah taluk, in Gadikota and Mudumpadu of
Rayachoti taluk, and Garwikota and Dhannavada
of Jammulamadugu taluk. It is said only four
or five acres are cultivated in Cuddapah taluk.
8. The cultivation is said to be on the decrease
owing to the enhancement of prices arising from
the right of sale being limited and being put up