514
and frequently results in temporary insanity, and
easily provocating temperament.
57. Never, but they are always smoked.
58. The rules are already stringent in this' dis-
trict owing to restricted issue of ganja to the retail
vendors and needs no administrative change
at present.
59 and 60. I cannot suggest.
61. No charas here.
62. Ganja is already cultivated under Govern-
ment control within restricted area. Bhang
should also be similarly cultivated.
63. No, no suggestion to make.
64. No, the present administrative regulations
are sufficient.
65. Present rate of taxation sufficient.
66. Yes, different rates for different kinds, hut
the issue of chur ganja should be discontinued.
67. No.
68. Yes, but not consumed on the premises.
69. In this district local opinion is taken into
consideration before opening a shop.
Within
municipalities the municipal authorities are con-
sulted, but in villages public opinion is of little
value.
70. No importation from Native States. Yes;
no untaxed drug used here.
242. Evidence of BABUS BURGA DAS CHANDRA, Gumasta of Jadab Chandra Das of
Calcutta, and ANNADA PRASAD RAI, Gumasta of Prionth De of Calcutta.
Oral evidence.
We go out into the villages and collect bhang
for the goladars. This year we exported 403
maunds—-one of us 98 maunds and the other 305
maunds. We collected this amount without
difficulty in 25 or 30 villages. We could easily
have got double the amounts. We could have
got 5,000 maunds in those 30 villages if we had
wanted it. Every bigha would give 11/4 maunds.
We cannot say how much bhang we could not get
from this district (Bhagalpur). It grows prin-
cipally in the Gangetic villages in the north of
the district near the Kosi river. We collect
bhang from the Purnea District also. It grows
on the sandy banks of the Kosi, and is of superior
quality in that region. Bhang does grow in the
cultivated lands, but that which grows on the
sand banks is the best. We collect some from
the fields, and the people do not object to its being
removed. Bhang grows abundantly in the dis-
tricts of Bhagalpur, Purnea, Saran, Champaran,
Monghyr, and Darbhanga. In the Rangpur and
Nadia districts it is scarce and not fit for use. We
pay nothing for what we collect in any place. In
the rivers it grows amongst the jhao jungle.
No one cultivates bhang. We never make pre-
vious agreement with raiyats to keep the bhang
for us. They do sometimes ask us to clear it
away. We engage the coolies and pay them.
243. Evidence of BABU DHANI RAM SAHA, Excise Vendor, Mymensingh.
1. I am an excise vendor for a period of about
30 to 35 years. I have been a wholesale dealer of
ganja for a period of about 20 to 25 years.
2. The definitions may be accepted.
3. Bhang grows wild in Sylhet, Tippera, and
Mymensingh.
4. It is known by the name bhang plant.
5. A low soil and scanty rainfall are necessary.
6. Ordinarily dense.
7, 8, 9 and 10. No experience.
11. No.
12. No experience.
13. It is restricted to the districts of Rajshahi
and Bogra.
14. (a) Produced in Rajshahi, but to what ex-
tent I am not aware.
(b) Produced in Rajshahi, but to what extent
I am not aware.
(c) No experience.
15. No experience.
16. Bhang is prepared by the people generally
in their houses. It cannot be prepared from the
plant wherever grown. Ganja and charas cannot
be so prepared from the wild plant.
17. By haluadars and Muhammadans.
18. These drugs deteriorate by keeping. They
do not quite lose their effect in time. Ganja and
bhang keep good with ordinary care for one year.
I am not aware of the causes of deterioration. If
ganja be kept in air-tight boxes, I think the
deterioration will be greatly prevented.
19. Ganja is only smoked. I have no experience
about charas.
20. Ganja is smoked generally by the lower
classes of people. About half of their number
smoke ganja. About six annas of the middle classes
and about two annas of the upper classes smoke
the drug.
21. Flat ganja is preferred.
22. No experience.
23. No.
24. Bhang is generally taken by up-country
men. Very few of the men of this district eat
bhang for intoxication, but some take it for its
medicinal purposes.
25. The use of ganja is on the decrease. The
increase in the price of it is the cause of the de-
crease in its consumption. I cannot give any
definite information under this head about bhang
and charas.
26 and 27. Cannot answer this question
definitely.
28. Ganja.—(a) Two anis, whose price varies
from 3 pice to 4 pice.
(b) One tola, whose price varies from 3 annas
to 4 annas.
No experience about bhang and charas.
29. A leaf of tobacco is ordinarily mixed with
ganja. I do not know of any practice of mixing