97
cants, who are indolent and troublesome to the com
- m u n i t y i n g e n e r a l . C o n s u m e r s a r e l o o k e d d o w n b y
the gentry; and if under these circumstance "grow--
ing of the hemp plant as well as the importation
of the drug " be prohibited by law', the habit of
consuming these drugs of the consumers will be
gradually checked, and in a few years it will
disappear. For some time habitual consumers
will no doubt continue to consume the drug illi--
citly ; but once the growing of the hemp plant
and importation of the drug is prohibited by law,
the illicit. consumption will soon disappear, and the
people will turn their attention to peaceful avoca--
tions of agriculure. Under the circumstances
stated above, the prohibition would not occasion
serious discontent among the consumers. The
prohibition will not, in my opinion, encourage the
use of alcoholic stimulants or other intoxicating
drugs. However, as I have advocated the prohi--
bition of the use of ganja for reasons recorded, I
beg also to propose for good reasons to check by
further restrictions the use of alcoholic drinks.
If high authorities in Europe, like John Bright
and others, are to be believed. then the best drink
that a man can have is potable water. Alcoholic
drinks are producing mischief in Europe. The
main factors of the Indian population consist
chiefly of Hindus and Muhammadans. Alcoholic
drinks have been strictly prohibited by Hindu as
well as by Muhammadan religion. Alcohol was
not so widely used in former days as in the present
days. The population is incensing year by year.
The great question before Nation and Government
is how to utilize the existing lands, and to grow
more corn therein for the maintenance of people;
therefore the sooner we take precautionary measures
to check the use of intoxicating drugs as well as
intoxicating drinks in India the better. I should
like to propose that only one shop of country
liquor and one shop of intoxicating drugs in each
taluka is quite sufficient. No passes should be
given to open temporary shops in fairs and jatras.
These and similar other measures will prevent the
spread of bad habits, and the people will turn
their attention to peaceful avocations of agri--
culture.
The land at present used for growing intoxicat--
ing poppy plants, etc., will be utilized in growing
corn and cotton, the scarcity of which is feeling
y e a r b y y e a r . C o c o a n u t t r e e s a r e n o w u s e d f o r
drawing todd y,a n d
t h u s t h e p e o p l e a r e d e p r i v e d
of delicious food of kernel and its edible oil.
The more shops we open the more customers
we get. Of late, the tendency to open more
shops is checked by departmental orders ; still
I w o u l d a d v o c a t e t h a t o n l y o n e s h o p i n e a c h t a l u k a
is sufficient.
36. There is no reason to believe that alcohol is
now being to a certain extent substituted for any
of these drugs. But the more and more use of
alcoholic stimulants year by year is attributable to
other causes, which need not be enumerated here.
43. The consumers of ganja are generally trouble-
some, not only to their neighbours but to their
friends and family members also.
44. It is not really refreshing. Though habitual
moderate use does not produce intoxication, yet its
effects on the consumer's constitution and be--
haviour are unwholesome and bad ; because I have
observed this in each ganja consumer's case when-
vol. vii,
ever he came in contact with me, either as a witness
in my court or as a friend in society.
51. In my opinion if hundred bad characters are
collected together, you will find seventy-five out of
them to be habitual moderate consumers of any of
these drugs. There is no connection between the
moderate use of these drugs and the grave crimes
coming under the Indian Penal Code; but crimes
of giving abuses and assaults, etc., are, in my
opinion, committed by ganja consumers when
under its influence.
53 and 54. No such case has come before me.
55. I do not know of any such case.
58. The administration is working well.
68. There is only one shop in Chiplon taluka
licensed for retail sale of these drugs.
69. At present no local opinion is considered
before a shop is opened ; but I propose that no
new shops should be opened unless applied for
by the people in an application signed by them.
70. There is no general use of ganja which is
illegally imported or on which duty is not paid.
During the course of twelve years, I have tried
only three or four eases of smuggling ; but the
control over illegal importation as at present
exercised by the Excise Department and the
Police and the Magistrates is, in my opinion, quite
sufficient.
Oral evidence.
Question 35.—By bad characters I mean
those entered on the police list of persons tried
and sentenced. As a mamlatdar I visit the
temples and other places where people smoke and
see them smoking. I should say that seventy-
five out of every hundred of bad characters smoke.
It is part of my duty to observe the habits of
these men and of all troublesome persons. I have
other unofficial means of finding out their habits
apart from what appears in Court. I have served
in all the districts of the Southern Division.
Alcoholic stimulants are too dear to be much
used. I do not think the people would take to
such drugs as dhatura, which would at once kill a
man. It is never used at present for intoxication
so far as I know. I hear that it is used some
- t i m e s i n t h e n o r t h e r n p a r t s o f t h e c o u n t r y , b u t n o t w h e r e I s e r v e . I h a v e n e v e r a s k e d s a d h u s a n d
bairagis about this. Perhaps people must take to
opium. I believe prohibition would reduce con-
- s u m p t i o n . I h a v e s u c c e e d e d i n g e t t i n g t w o o f
my servants and two peons to give up ganja. I
am not connected with any Temperance Society,
but as a conservative and orthodox Hindu I am
against all drugs and intoxicants.
Question 44.—I have certain friends who con--
sume to excess, though they began moderately.
Gradually they became unable to manage their
affairs. The habitual moderate use is bad, as that
leads to the habitual excessive use ; and this tends
to make a man useless to society. It is the same
with alcohol.
Question 70.—Ganja buds are smuggled from
Mysore. All the cases I refer to here were of this
character.. In all the cases (but one) I found that
M y s o r e w a s t h e p l a c e ; i n t h e o t h e r I d i d n o t f i n d
oat. They were all cases of import (or transport)
without license.