379
no know it nor did many others. When we took
our food every one noticed that the fowl curry was
exceptionally tasty. They took it heartily. I felt
a peculiar smell in the curry, but also ate it with
the others. Of those who took it, I and several
others were not affected by it in the least. Two,
I remember, were intoxicated and showed signs of
timidity, uttering most humiliating words. I have
seen children suffering from dysentery cured by
rubbing ganja pounded and mixed in water on the
navel.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.— I have passed the whole of my ser-
vice, seventeen years, in Burma. During my first
two years I was in Shwegyin as Assistant Commis-
sioner and afterwards Subdivisional Officer. Then
I went to Bassein, which is in the Irrawaddy Divi-
sion, as Assistant Commissioner for six months.
Then I was engaged on settlement in Bassein and
the lower part of the Henzada district for five
years. I was then Revenue Secretary for two
years, and then became Deputy Commissioner of
Mandalay. For six months I was Chief Secretary,
and after that Commissioner, which post I have
now held for a little more than three years.
I can give no further information about the
growth and cultivation of the hemp plant than is
contained in my paper. I have never seen the
plant growing. I have often seen the drug pro-
duced in court in connection with prosecutions.
The drug appeared to consist of dry leaves and was
called ganja. I know that the drug was prohibited
under the Burmese kings together with four other
intoxicants—opium, spirits, and two kinds of rice
beer. But only as regards opium was the prohibi-
tion effectual, and practically no notice was taken
of the growing of the hemp plant. It was grown
at Meiktila. Two or three months ago a Burman
was brought up for growing the plants, and he
defended himself by saying he had been accustomed
to it all his life and could not do without it. He
was fined Rs. 5. The drug is smoked in cheroots
with tobacco and cooked with curries. A Burman
does not inhale the smoke in smoking tobacco.
The Shans use a wooden pipe for smoking tobacco.
I never heard ganja mentioned in Lower Burma
as being smoked by Burmans. Since coming to
Upper Burma I have heard of the practice. Our
Hindustani servants used to use it in Lower Bur-
ma. In the Danu country, lying between Burma
and the Shan States proper, it is said that every
man grows a few plants for his own consumption.
Part of the Danu country is British, and some of
the villages are in the Shan States. British officers
visit the Danu country very little, and the prohi-
bition has not been enforced there. I have heard
that male plants are eradicated in the cultivation,
one such plant only being allowed to grow. The
use of the drug would seem to be more common in
the Danu country than among the Shans, and still
more common among the Kachins, who are said to
cultivate the plant in fields. The fibre they use to
make cloths is said to be the produce of the same
plant. When grown for the drug in the Kachin
country the upper part of the plant is said to be
shielded with a chatty, and the male plant is said to
be exterminated, leaving only one such plant stand-
ing. Cases have occurred in which the Danu
people have been caught smuggling ganja into
Burma. I don't think the smuggling is general,
because the drug is not much used down here.
In the Eastern Division I have four Superintend-
ents of Excise, each with two sergeants, to put
vol. vii.
down opium smuggling from the Shan States.
The establishment was working till last year in the
Mandalay district, where it was found to be useless.
It was therefore transferred to my Division on trial.
I believe a small establishment still remains in
Mandalay. I know of no other excise establish-
ment in Upper or Lower Burma, except the Cus-
toms Officers at the sea-ports. These establishments
as well as the regular police initiate prosecutions.
The prosecutions for smuggling and illicit growing
of ganja are not numerous. •They have increased
in the Eastern Division since the employment of
the excise establishment mentioned above. There
were about nine or ten cases last year as well as I
remember. Where the ordinary police is the only
agency for detecting such cases it is probable that
much less is done towards checking the growth of
the plants and use of the drug than in the districts
named. The prosecutions come to my notice
through the diaries of the Excise Officers and the
monthly returns of the Magistrates.
The Burmans generally approve of the prohibi-
tion of drugs. As a people they disapprove the use
of the drug. I cannot say what is the feeling of
the Hindus. I do not think the prohibition has
had any effect in my Division; those who used to
consume the drug still do so. The Burmans never
used it to any great extent, and they do not now.
I think the drug can always be got if it is wanted.
Every native of India manages to get it. When.
enquiry was made on receipt of the Commission's
questions, specimens of the drugs were without
difficulty procured from a sweeper. I was told that
my mali had grown it in my own garden, though
it had disappeared when I went to look for it owing
to a flood. Most European officers are unable to
recognize the plant, though the Burmans generally
are acquainted with it.
I think the prohibition should be maintained.
If it were withdrawn the Burmans, who are a
weak people, would be more likely to take to the
drug. If the prohibition were more strictly en-
forced there would be difficulty in getting the drug
for medicinal purposes, such as the treatment of ele-
phants, and this would be considered a hardship by
the owners of elephants and would require special
provision. The drug is said to be the sole remedy
for most diseases of elephants.
I have no information about the use of dhatura,
with ganja. In the departmental return of mili-
tary police punishments from the Meiktila district
within the last two or three months I saw that
four men had been punished for using dhatura.
When I asked the battalion commandant about it
he told me the men had used dhatura because they
were unable to procure opium. He told me that
the men had gone mad for a day from using it. I
don't remember having noticed a case of dhatura
having been used because ganja was not to be ob-
tained. I don't remember a policeman having ever
been punished for using ganja. Returns of punish-
ments of military and civil police were not, however,
sent to the Commissioner till the last three or four
months.
The only forms of smuggling ganja of which I
have any knowledge are those described above in
the eastern frontier and smuggling through the
post office. A Havildar of the military police was
recently punished for smuggling in the latter way.
As a Magistrate at Bassein I used to have to try
cases of ganja seized on boardship. In Upper
Burma the growth of the plant in a small way by
consumers for their own use is general, but the
consumers are few. The consumer, therefore, finds
no difficulty in getting his supply. Government
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