71
There are seizures of illieit ganja both in Khorda
and in the Sudder sub-division. I cannot say at
present how many cases come from each sub-divi¬
sion. The total number of prosecutions for posses¬
sion of Gurjat ganja in the district for the nine
months ending 31st December last was sixty-six.
All of the Sudder cases come to me for sanction¬
ing of the distribution of rewards, and I see many
of the Khorda cases. My general impression is
that the cases as a rule are boná fide cases. If
this is so there must be a great deal of smuggling,
because our detective agency is no stronger than
anywhere else. All the cases I have seen are
petty. The people most concerned in the Sudder
sub-division are low class people, either consumers
or servants carrying it for others. In Khorda it is
generally the people themselves. Of course the
drug is also found with pilgrims; but I think the
prosecutions of pilgrims are less frequent. There
is no search of pilgrims whether coming by sea or
land. It would be monstrous to search pilgrims,
to search the carts or bundles of pilgrims for
Gurjat ganja. We do not search them either for
excessive possession of ganja or for illicit Gurjat
ganja when coming by routes through the States.
Pilgrims by sea are very few. The seizures of ganja
being petty would indicate that as a rule it is
local consumers who bring it in, but I came
across a case the other day in which the man was
a professional smuggler. I cannot of course say
how large a proportion of smugglers are prose¬
cuted. I cannot say whether Mr. Taylor's estimate
of one-twentieth is correct. But I am certain
that sixty per cent., the estimate of the Deputy
Collector, is preposterous. Ten or twenty per
cent. would, I think, be a high estimate. As I
have said, I am convinced that the consumption in
Khorda is far in excess of the issues from legiti¬
mate sources of supply.
Gurjat ganja is sometimes used in drink; but
so also is the Rajshahi ganja. I have been told
by some natives elsewhere that they used Rajshahi
ganja thus and been asked to partake. But the
principal use of both, so far as I know, is smoking.
I do not know which kind of ganja is stronger
nor whether the one is more deleterious than the
other. I have no experience here to enable me to
say whether a man who has acquired the habit of
using the one will take easily to the other, or
prefer what he is accustomed to.
I know nothing of the extent of the use of
ganja in the Native States. I do not know about
the use of liquor in Native States. The use of
liquor there will, no doubt, be much the same
among the Uriya raiyats as it is in Khorda. There
the raiyats drink hardly at all. But perhaps the
Khonds may be great drinkers. I have not had
any opportunity of ascertaining their habits.
As our relations at present stand with the
Native States it would be difficult to introduce
any system into any part of their administration.
For our present position in regard to them is to
stand aloof and practically wash our hands of
them. But if we were to enter into closer rela¬
tions with them, I think there would be no diffi¬
culty in introducing any ganja system that might
be necessary in prohibiting cultivation and other¬
wise restricting the drug. I think it would be
easy, in respect to the three States connected with
this district, viz., Ranpur, Naiagarh, and Kanda-
para.
My attention has not been drawn to smuggling
from Madras. We border for a very short di s¬
tance on Gumsur; but my attention has been
directed chiefly to smuggling from our own Tri¬
butary States. I have no knowledge of the facts
about any smuggling from that presidency. The
Madras border is comparatively very small. I
cannot give any satisfactory explanation of the
slight increase in ganja consumption shown in the
figures for 1892-93 as against the average for the
preceding five years. I think that the withdrawal
of the prohibition of cultivation in Native States
within three miles of the border would not affect
the matter. For the distance of three miles would
be nothing in respect to the smuggling of ganja.
Nor do I think the prohibition could be expected
to be effectively enforced in our present relations
with the States. As to the increase in duty I
believe that increase in duty is not invariably
accompanied with decrease in consumption, and
I have shown that the increase in the use of licit
Gurjat ganja has increased steadily since 1891-92.
29. Evidence of MR. J. H. BERNARD, Offg. Magistrate and Collector, Nadia.
1. The ordinary opportunities of a Bengal
Civilian of 81/2 years' standing.
2. Yes, each of the articles is locally known by
the names mentioned in Dr. Prain's report.
3. In the District of Nadia. It is abundant in
this district. I have seen it growing wild in
Saran and Muzaffarpur districts.
4. Ganja—gol and chipta (round and flat) and
chur. Siddhi, bhang, and charas.
I am not aware if at all these names refer to
exactly the same plant.
5. A moist climate is beneficial to the growth
of wild siddhi.
6. Ordinarily dense.
7. Not in this district.
8. No.
9. I do not believe it to be cultivated here.
10 and 11. See above.
13. (a) Yes.
(b), (c) To these questions I am not able to
reply.
14. Not in this district.
15. See answer to question 14.
16. No bhang is sold by licensed vendors and
is not prepared generally by the people. It can
however be prepared from the wild hemp plant,
but it is doubtful whether the people use it.
It is generally given to cattle suffering from
disease.
17. See answer to question 14.
18. Ganja and bhang do deteriorate by keeping,
and lose their effect after about six months.
Dampness of soil and exposure to air cause
deterioration. They are kept tied up in bundles
of straw, then packed up in sacks which are again
kept in tin-lined wooden boxes.
19. As far as I know, ganja and charas are
used only for smoking. Siddhi or bhang are
sometimes smoked.