172
of purchase through middle men. There should
be direct dealing with the cultivators.
(8) Selling to goladars on credit by cultivators
should be stopped.
(9) Ganja should be placed on the same foot¬
ing as opium with regard to possession. The
person in possession must account for the posses¬
sion. The possession of ganja up to one powa, ¼ seer,
is objectionable. The limit of possession should
be reduced to half the existing quantity allowed.
61. Charas is not manufactured in Bengal. I
have no experience about its manufacture, etc.
62. There is no cultivation of the hemp plant
for the production of bhang in Bengal.
Wild bhang grows spontaneously all over
Bengal, and control over its cultivation and
manufacture would not be feasible with the pre¬
sent police and excise establishment.
The cultivation of bhang may be controlled
partially by awarding liberal rewards to chauki-
dars, panchayats, and villagers. I do not mean
wild bhang; its extirpation will be attended with
great hardship to the people in general, and will
cause serious discontent.
63. I have no objection to the present system
of wholesale or retail vend of (1) ganja, (2) charas
(3) bhang or majum. But I must here make the
following observation:—
The wholesale vend should be separated from the
retail vend as far as possible. The goladar holding
retail shops sells ganja cheaper to his own shop,
and charges exorbitant prices (in some places ganja
is sold at R 4 per seer by the wholesale dealers)
from other retail vendors with small capital. The
bonâ fide retail vendor should be allowed to work
independently of the capitalist wholesale vendor,
who also owns retail shops. This can be done by
fixing the maximum wholesale price in each district.
64. I have no objection to the existing regula¬
tions governing the export and import of ganja,
bhang, and charas, or of their preparations, from
and into my province, and their transport within
the province.
65. (a) The taxation on ganja, bhang, and
charas is not reasonable if compared with each
other, though one is not interfering with the sale
of the other. The taxation on ganja is higher than
that on charas or bhang, but the consumption of
duty-paid bhang or charas is limited. The pre¬
sent rate of duty on charas is most inadequate
(equal to chur ganja). The duty should be raised
to double the present rate.
(b) The existing rate of taxation is reasonable and
proportionate with reference to alcohol, etc. Ganja
cannot bear any higher taxation. The intoxicating
properties of ganja and alcoholic stimulants are of
different nature and kind, and they are consumed
by different classes of people.
66. Flat ganja contains more wood than round
or small twig. Chur contains little or no wood.
The duty has been imposed according to the ratio
of the quantity of flower contained in each kind
(vide answer to question 2). There should there-
fore be different rates of taxation for different
kinds of ganja and for the different qualities of
ganja (as Gurjat ganja). The ganja grown in
the Gurjat States is charged with a duty of
Rs. 3-8-0 per seer in consideration of its inferior
quality, and its importation was legalized in 1890.
Its intoxicating properties are less than those of
Rajshahi ganja.
67. Having regard to the ultimate incidence of
the tax on the consumer, I have no objection to
the present method of taxing (1) ganja, (2) charas,
and (3) bhang. The incidence is already high,
and poor people cannot consume the quantity they
require for their moderate dose. Owing to the
taxation of ganja by means of license fees instead
of in the shape of duty, unequal selling prices at
different shops occur. The shops paying smaller
license fees can sell cheaper, and do under-sell his
neighbour, who pays higher license fees. The con-
sumers in one place pay treble the price paid by
consumers in another locality where there is no
competition. The duty on ganja and bhang is
capable of increase in some districts.
68. There are in my province shops licensed for
the sale of these drugs and their preparations (ma-
jum). It is not the general custom or practice to
consume ganja, bhang, or charas on the premises.
Strangers and travellers, sanyasis and bairagis,
etc., occasionally sit in front of the shop and smoke
in their own chillum, which they always carry.
Generally the consumers take ganja, bhang, and
charas to their houses. Ninety-five per cent. of
the ganja consumed is taken home, and 5 per
cent. is consumed in the premises.
People do not object to their smoking in the
premises. I am not opposed to the system of
allowing people to smoke in the premises, as ganja
and charas are smoked like tobacco, and the num¬
ber of smokers is very small. Bhang is not
smoked or drunk at the shop.
69. Yes, when necessary. These shops are not
considered a nuisance as liquor shop or outstill,
and the neighbours seldom take objection. Many
mudis (grocers) accommodate such shops. The
smokers are inoffensive, and they never become tur¬
bulent. If the neighbours object, their objections
are duly considered. The Excise Deputy Collector
or the Excise Sub-Inspector makes local enquiries
and reports the matter to the Collector, who decides
the objection. The sites of all shops are approved
by the Commissioner of Excise and the Board,
when the Proposition Statement for the settle¬
ment is submitted. People can come up to the
Commissioner of Excise and the Board of Revenue
if they are dissatisfied with the Collector's deci¬
sion. The local public opinion should be con¬
sidered if reasonable.
70. Duty is generally paid in respect to the
ganja and other hemp drugs used. There is no
general use of the untaxed drug. Wild bhang
is used to a limited extent by the poor and for
medicinal purposes, and no duty is levied on its
consumption. The bhang imported by the Collect¬
ors and stored in golas pays duty.
Ganja Smuggling.—Facts regarding the im¬
portation and smuggling of hemp drugs from
Native States into my province, to which I wish
to draw the attention of the Commission:—
Hemp plant grows readily anywhere in the
nineteen Tributary States called the Gurjat Mahal,
and is easily prepared. The long line of frontier
affords great facility for its illicit introduction
into the British territories.
Ganja is regularly cultivated in all the Gurjat
States, and smuggling to a very considerable
extent goes on all along the frontier. The effect
of the Government Order No. 165-T., dated 19th
October 1878, prohibiting ganja cultivation in the
Gurjats within three miles of the Mogulbandi
frontier, resulted in a marked increase in the sale
of the Rajshahi drug, and the withdrawal of that
prohibition by Government Order No. E-1-G/2.4,
dated 6th September 1889, was followed by an
immediate and marked falling off. Every ganja