129
practically no control over the licensees in any way.
They are at liberty to sell any quantity and
import these drugs without duty. They keep no
accounts, and their shops are never inspected.
One of the licensees of this State keeps a shop in
Petlad, which is a large town in Baroda territory,
and about three miles from Fanganee, which is in
Cambay territory, and where he has a shop also.
In. Petlad this man can only sell one seer of any of
these drugs at a time, whereas he can sell any
quantity at Fanganee. In consequence of import
dues and license-fees these drugs cost double the
price at Petlad that they do at Fanganee, which
is close by. I think it is very desirable that the
vendors of these drugs should be made to keep
accounts showing their imports and sales, and
that their shops, stock-in-trade and books should
be periodically inspected by some responsible reve
-
nue or police officer. The licensees in this State
get their supply of these drugs wherever it can
be had. at the cheapest rate. The local consumers
of these drugs bitterly complain of their inferior
quality. The licensee at Fanganee imports bhang
and ganja from Ahmednagar (Deccan), and he
occasionally supplies the Cambay vendors, who
also buy these drugs in Baroda and import them
free of duty. I am of opinion that the sale of
these drugs to one individual should be limited to
a reasonable quantity ; and that the vendors should
not be allowed to sell them wholesale indiscrimi
-
nately as they do at present.
60. Ganja is not prepared in this State.
6 1 . C h a r a s i s n o t p r o d u c e d i n t h i s S t a t e .
62. I have no idea of the cultivation of the
hemp plant.
63. Charas is not sold in this State. Ganja
and bhang are sold wholesale and retail. I am
of opinion that the sale of these drugs, except to
vendors, should be restricted to a reasonable
quantity.
64. There are no regulations in this State
governing the export and import of these drugs
or their transport within the State. There is no
import duty on any of these drugs in this State.
They are not exported unless surreptitiously.
There is a wide field open for the illicit trade in
these drugs in this State. As an instance of
which the licensee at Fanganee is allowed to im
-
port any quantity of these drugs without duty.
Whereas in Petlad, which is close by, where he
holds a license for the sale of these drugs from
the Baroda State, he has to pay import duty on
these drugs. The price of these drugs at Petlad
is double that at Fanganee. This leaves a wide
field open to this man to smuggle these drugs
from Fanganee, where they are imported free of
duty, to Petlad, where he has to pay heavy duty
and license-fees. I am of opinion that an import
duty should be levied on these drugs.
65. There is no tax on these drugs in this State.
66. There is only one kind of ganja used in this
State which is either imported direct from Ahmed-
nagar (Deccan) or from Baroda. As far as I
am able to gather, the ganja farmer of the Baroda
State imports all his drugs from Ahmeduagar
(Deccan). Round ganja is not used here.
67. There is no tax on these drugs in this State.
68. There are no houses or shops in this State
where these drugs are consumed on the premises.
Where such houses and shops exist, I think it is
very desirable that they should be open to inspec
-
tion by the police, as in the case of liquor shops
and other places of public resort.
69. There are no shops for the consumption of
these drugs on the premises in this State.
70. There is only one man in this State who
imports these drugs. He has a shop at Fanganee,
which is surrounded by Baroda and British terri
-
tory. His sales of these drugs at Fanganee are
more than at Petlad, which is a large town. This,
I think, can be accounted for by the fact that
these drugs are much cheaper at Fanganee than at
Petlad. The other two vendors in this State get
their supply of these drugs from him sometimes,
and they also get it from Baroda or wherever they
find the cheapest market. There is no import
duty on these drugs in this State. The licensee
of Fanganee tells me he pays an export duty at
the rate of Rs. 5 on every three Bengal maunds.
This he says he pays at Ahmednagar.
60. Evidence of KHAN BAH ADUR NANABHOY COWASJI, P arsi, City Police Inspect-
or, Surat.
I had opportunities for several years of coming
into contact with such persons when I was in
Kathiawar. Some of them consumed ganja and
bhang in excessive, and some in moderate quanti
-
ties. After the receipt of Government orders, I
have endeavoured to seek information from differ
-
ent directions where I thought it was possible to
get some reliable particulars. I have consulted
my subordinate Police Officers and licensed vendors
of ganja and bhang and also with some of the
consumers.
2. Charas and chur are not prepared and sold in
this district, Flat ganja only is produced and sold
in this district, and it is known by the name of
ganja.
"Bhang" goes under that name chiefly.
Sometimes it is called subji or maya.
3. I am not aware of this.
4, 5 and 6. I do not know.
7. Hemp is cultivated to a small extent in
two talukas of this district, Olpad and Chorasi
vol. vii.
and the land used for this purpose may be about
30 acres.
8. In consequence of the restrictions imposed by
the Abkari Act, for transporting and exporting
ganja and bhang, and for their sale and possession,
the cultivation was given up owing to its being
troublesome and unremunerative.
9. The soil required for hemp cultivation ought
to be best yellow or sandy. It cannot grow in black
soil. The ground requires to be well ploughed,
and ought to be frequently weeded. Two crops
can be obtained during one year, but not in the
same land. Kharif crop is said to possess more
narcotic properties than the rabi.
10. The cultivators are of the same class as
other agricultural cultivators.
11, 12 and 13. I do not know.
14. Bhang is produced in this district in Olpad
and Chorasi talukas, but ganja and charas are
not prepared in this district.