114
62. By restricting cultivation, and farming the
contracts at high rates, the prices of the drugs
would be enhanced and consumption would tend
to decline.
65. The taxation is unknown to me.
66. In my opinion it should be taxed at one
rate for all qualities and kinds.
68. Yes; in every town. Such houses and
shops are necessary, but should be well looked
after by the police or other authorities.
51. Evidence of LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. HUMFREY, Inspector-General of Police,
Poona.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have been Inspector-General of
Police for three years. I have served for twenty
-
seven years almost entirely in Guzerat and
Kathiawar as Assistant and District Superintend
-
ent of Police. I have recently returned from
England, and have not had time to study this
subject. My evidence will be based on impres
-
sions gathered during my service.
Question 51.— I do not think that a large pro
-
portion of bad characters are habitual consumers
of the drugs. The bad characters in the towns
are for the most part given to drink, and commit
petty offences to satisfy their propensity. This is
not the case in the country. I have no reason to
suppose that the hemp drugs are largely con
-
sumed by the bad characters of the towns. The
class who consume the drugs are chiefly the
mendicants, and the drugs are not more consumed
by the bad characters than by other people. I
think the hemp drugs used in moderation have no
connection with crime in general or crime of any
particular class.
Question 52 .—Nor do I think that excessive
use of the drugs is connected with crime in
general. But I have heard of rare instances of a
man under the influence of bhang "running
amuck." Only one instance has come under my
personal observation. That was in 1884. The
man when caught said bhang had been given to
him ; but we had no means of testing the state
-
ment, as he had been concealed in the jungle for
some days. A private in the 23rd Regiment
Native Infantry was suspected of theft, and his
house was put under attachment and a police
constable posted over it. The sepoy saw this,
and, instead of returning home, went to a friend's
house in the lines. He said that bhang was
given to him there in sherbet by a person who had
ill-feeling against him. He then got a rifle and
some rounds of ammunition from a comrade's house
and wounded the police constable who was posted
at his house. He then went to the open country,
and as he passed the hospital he fired two rounds at
two doolie-bearers who were asleep outside. Two
days afterwards he was arrested in the country con
-
cealed in a field. His rifle was then loaded and he
attempted resistance ; but the rifle was at half-cock,
which he did not notice in his excitement. Three
or four of us then overpowered him. He gave the
name of the person who had given him the sherbet
when he was under trial in the Sessions Court.
The Judge gave him one day's imprisonment, ap
-
parently believing the story he told; but on appeal
to Government the man was sentenced to seven
years' rigorous imprisonment. None of the wound
-
ed persons died. I don't think the man said any
-
thing about the bhang having been given to him
till he got into the Sessions Court. I do not think
the bhang caused him to commit the crime. I
think it was established that the man had taken
bhang ; and if he did take it, the crime was com
-
mitted within half an hour afterwards. I think
the Sessions Judge recorded a finding on the point
of the man having been drugged. I did not notice
the state of the prisoner's eyes when he was arrest
-
ed. I don't recollect the man's name. The case
occurred at Ahmedabad in 1884. I think the man
broke out under the initiation of the insult of having
his house attached, and had taken no bhang at all.
Question 54.—I have not heard of criminals for
-
tifying themselves with the hemp drugs in order to
commit crime.
Question 55.—I k n o w o f n o c a s e o f a p e r s o n
having been drugged with hemp in order to com
-
mit a crime upon him. I was on special duty for
suppression of dacoity in Kathiawar from 1870 to
1873, in 1875, 1876, and from 1886 to 1890, and
no case of the kind came under my notice.
The drugs have never attracted attention in
connection with the discipline of the police force.
I receive returns of all punishments inflicted on
members of the police force, including dismissals.
I hear many appeals against all kinds of punish
-
ments. The particulars of the offence for which
the man is punished are reported for each case in
the monthly statement. Drunkenness would be
mentioned ; and if an offence arose out of intem
-
perance of any kind, that intemperance would
almost certainly be entered. I have often seen
drunkenness noted, but never intoxication from
hemp drugs. When a man is enlisted, he is
examined medically by the Civil Surgeon, and
enquiry is made regarding his character by the
Superintendent of Police through his Inspector,
or by reference to other districts. I have never
received a report that a recruit was a ganja smoker.
I think it is probable that a District Superintendent
of Police would reject a ganja smoker ; and I should,
in my ignorance of the effects of the drug, prefer
to avoid enlisting such a man. I should not reject
a tobacco smoker. I was inclined to think ganja
was more harmful than I am now led to believe
after reading the proceedings of the Commission.
It is the popular idea that ganja is very harmful.
I do not think the use of the drug is common in the
police force. I have never learnt that a member
of the force was a ganja smoker. I have never had
any experience as a Superintendent of a jail. The
general bad opinon attaches to bhang also in an
equal degree—perhaps even more to bhang than to
ganja. I can't say from whom I have derived this
idea. Probably the cases of "running amuck" of
which I have heard have given me the idea.
There are about 16,000 or 17,000 men serving
under me. I believe bhang consists of the buds
of the ganja with the exudation attaching to them.
I had never seen the drug until I sent for some
quite recently.
Copy of Judgment appended to COLONEL
HUMFREY'S evidence.
The prisoner in this case, according to his
own statement, arranged with another sepoy
at 8-30 P.M. to meet him at about 10 P. M.