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10. Evidence of MR. H. ADAMSON, Deputy Commissioner, Meiktila.
1. The experience of sixteen years' work as an
Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner
in Burma. As, however, bhang, charas and ganja
have been prohibited in Burma for twenty years
and more, all dealings in these drugs are secret, and
an official hears very little about them.
2. The definitions are correct.
3. I understand that the hemp plant, from which
drugs can be got, does not grow spontaneously here
but must be cultivated.
4. The bin-pin or segyaukpin. I believe they
are the same plant. The bin-pin is not to be
confounded with the bein-pin, which is the poppy.
7. It is cultivated secretly in gardens occasional-
ly, and it is said that the soil of almost any garden
in the country is suitable for its production.
13. It is altogether prohibited.
14. Whether they are prepared or not, I cannot
say ; but all these are to be found in the possession
of natives of India, who secretly traffic in them.
20. Natives of India, such as military police,
camp followers, shoemakers, mehters, etc. Very
few Burmans use it.
22. The charas used is almost entirely imported
from India.
25. Its use among Burmans is so trifling as to
be scarcely worth notice.
33. Bin or ganja used to be classed with opium
in the time of Burmese rule, and its use was nomin-
ally prohibited.
35. As regards natives of India, I am doubtful,
But the prohibition during the past twenty years
has certainly had the effect of preventing the vice
from spreading from Indians to Burmans.
40. Yes ; ganja was used for dysentery by
Burmese doctors, and it is considered invaluable as
a medicine for elephants.
43. Yes.
58. I consider that the present system of locally
prohibiting these drugs is working well, and I
think that it should not be in any way changed.
70. In the instructions to witnesses it is stated
tha tthe Commission are anxious to know whether
the consumption of charas and bhang has increased
since the prohibition of ganja. There appears to
be a misapprehension, as the prohibition of ganja
has always included the prohibition also of charas
and bhang. Prosecutions for illegal possession of
ganja are common enough. But there have been
very few prosecutions with regard to either charas
or bhang. I cannot say why, as these drugs are
common enough. I had no difficulty in procuring
a piece of charas from the bazar here for my own
inspection through a servant. It is said to sell for
its weight in silver. It is quite clear that, not-
withstanding the prohibition, these drugs are
smuggled into the country to a considerable extent,
for they are in common use among natives of
India. But it is certain that their use among
Burmans is quite insignificant, and I have no
doubt that this fact is due in great measure to
their use being prohibited by law.
11. Evidence of MR. H. G. BATTEN,* Deputy Commissioner, Mergui.
1. I have served in the Burma Commission since
April 1878 and have been located in the following
towns and districts of Burma,—Rangoon, Pegu,
Moulmein, Hanthawaddy, Henzada, Myanoung,
Sandoway, Thayetmyo, Thongwa, and in Mergui
since January 1890. I was on the Kumaon
Commission, North-West Provinces, from October
1869 to April 1873. Hemp was extensively grown
in Kumaon and Garhwal, and I had good opportu-
nities of becoming acquainted with the plant.
2. In Mergui the hemp plant is known as the
pi-san-bin, the plant from which nets and ropes
are made. The drug is generally known as seg-
-
yauk, or the medicine which induces nervousness or
fright—a narcotic in fact.
3.
I have only noticed the indigenous wild plant
in this district, Mergui, where it is abundant
throughout.
4.
Pi-san-bin is the only name given for the
hemp generally.
5.
The soil should be rich alluvial loam, climate
hot and damp, low level. Hemp used to be culti-
vated to some extent before the Act prohibiting it
came into force throughout the district.
6.
Dense in open spaces or clearings.
7.
Not now, except secretly for (a) , (b) , (c) , and
to a very small extent.
8 a n d 9 . N i l .
10, 11 and 12. No.
13. Nil. Possible all over the district.
14. None, except illicit. In January 1891 I
convicted a Siamese man for growing hemp in a
village in the Tenasserim township. He was a
known bad character and was at the same time
convicted under Arms Act. He grew the plant to
prepare the ganja.
15. The flowers and leaves are simply dried and
used for smoking.
16. (a) and (b) Yes.
(c) No.
17. No particular class.
18. The climate would injure any such drug
after a short period.
19. For smoking only. Formerly, before the
growing of hemp was prohibited, people used the
leaves of the cultivated hemp for mixing with their
curries.
22. Foreign, imported illicitly from India and
from across Siamese frontier. The Subdivisional
Officer, Maliwun, recently convicted a military
policeman (Gurkha) for possession of ganja
procured, he said, from across the river
(Siamese territory).
25. Hardly prevalent, except by a few natives of
India and Siamese.
27. Ganja is smoked by the Punjabis and Hin-
dustanis in the Police and Survey, and habit acquir-
ed before there arrival. Also by Siamese who
come into our territories. The Siamese growing
* Summoned to attend at a sitting of the Commission for oral examination, but was unable to appear.