129
(c) Malpractices can often be resorted to by
the wholesale dealers by converting flat
into chur and utilizing the same to make
up the deficiencies in chur at the close
of the year and showing deficiency only
in flat and thus paying less duty.
(d) For the purposes of comparing consump¬
tion in consecutive years, the comparison
would be fairer than as shown at present
if there be only one kind of ganja. For
in a maund of flat the actual quantity
smoked is much less than in a maund
of chur, and it is misleading to compare
one maund flat with one maund chur.
(e) For the above reason the consumption in
retail shops too cannot be accurately
ascertained without an intricate way of
calculation for fixing the upset price of
shops and selling the licenses thereof.
For the above reasons I would suggest the
unification of the three kinds and fixing of one duty
if it be feasible to effect this unification in the
producing subdivision, Naogaon.
64. It seems to be unfair to charge for wastage
under the existing rules when such wastage is
more nominal than real,—i.e., produced by the
effect of climate. Ganja weighed one maund at
Naogaon in damp weather is sure to be found less
in weighment made in Behar when the wind blows
from the west and not from the east, The
wastage should be charged in cases of abstraction
or sale or theft on transit, and not in cases beyond
human control.
In not a few instances ganja is abstracted from
bags on transit by rail. The quality of the bags
and the mode of packing should be improved.
I would suggest the discontinuance of the loafers
known as wholesale dealers in ganja. Railway
communication has removed all difficulties in
transport, and ganja can be indented by the
Collectors of districts upon Naogaon authorities
or wherever the Government principal store-house
may be. There should be a head office at Naogaon
with a responsible officer, and each district will
account with that head office as to quantity of the
drug only, duty being realized, as at present, in
the selling districts. Under such arrangement
Government can introduce special uniform bags
and adopt the system of packing now in use for
packing the postal mail bags.
Abolition of wholesale dealers will give certain
relief to the retail vendors, and Government can
then enhance the duty to the extent of that relief,
which will be much more than the cost of transit
to be incurred by Government, and the interest
of the capital to be advanced for the purchase of
the crop from the cultivators.
This change will simplify accounts and give
relief to the clerks.
It will set the retail vendors at liberty to bid
freely at auctions. At present a vendor in arrear
to a goladar cannot bid against the wishes of such
goladars. Practically I have seen that goladars
are one of the factors at the annual auction in
more than one way.
65. I think the present rate is reasonable and
sufficient and see no necessity for any change.
66. Vide No. 63. I am in favour of unification.
67. No. It is sufficient for the purpose.
68. There is no prohibition to smoke on pre¬
mises of shops. Bhang is never consumed on the
premises of retail shops: ganja is seldom consumed
in vend shops. I have no objection to such
shops and houses as they are at present,—i.e., like
the shops for the vend of any necessary articles.
69. No. Such shops are not considered as a
nuisance like liquor shops. There is no harm in
consulting the local public opinion in this respect.
70. Nepal grows wild ganja. Its flavour is
not much relished by our people. The Nepalese
too prefer our ganja. But those of our people
who live along the northern frontier of Bhagalpur
and who wish to have cheap intoxicant smuggle
in Nepal ganja. The smuggling is not carried on
to any appreciable extent.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have been in the Executive Ser¬
vice since 1885. Previously I was in the Educa¬
tion Department.
Question 45.—I only know these four cases of
insanity attributed to ganja; with three I was
personally acquainted. None of them was in any
asylum. They were all three in my village. It
was Rajnagar in District Faridpur (formerly
Dacca). It has been washed away by the River
Padma It was a very large village. Out of it
twenty-five villages have been formed. I first
knew of these three cases when I was about twenty-
one or twenty-two years of age. I am now thirty-
nine years old. It was eighteen years ago that I
first knew them. I used to know the men when I
went home on vacation. Two of them were mad
eighteen years ago. The third turned mad three
or four years later. I have never lived in the
village for more than a month and a half at
a time since then. People used to say at the
time that these people had gone mad from ganja.
Of course, as school-boys, we just believed what
we heard and observed only a fact of insanity and
nothing more. Later on, we began to think
more of cause. Then I was unable to find any
other cause. Thus my priest, who is one of the
cases, has a most intelligent brother. His father
is a pundit. Of course, if there is any disease
in him unknown to us, it may be the cause.
We cannot tell these medical questions. I have
had no medical training. Two of the men are
dead; and one I saw alive about three years
ago. The other two died some six or seven years
ago. I am not sure. I cannot say when they
died. One died after fifty years of age, of purging
of blood. I heard this later on from some of his
family members. Of course, it is very difficult to
judge of cause or effect. The other man who
died, died about thirty-eight years old. I do not
know what he died of. The third man, who is
still alive, is thirty or thirty-one years old, or
at all events below thirty-five years. I know of
no case later than these.
My home was thrice swept away. We began to
move back our house in 1872. We removed from
the village entirely about ten or eleven years ago.
I cannot accurately remember. Only one of
the above men—viz., my priest—went to our
new village.
U