CH. I.]
REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94.
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Selection of witnesses by Local
Governments.
6. In circulating their questions to Local Governments and Administra-
tions for distribution to suitable witnesses, the
Commission took pains to explain that they attached
much importance to a due proportion of non-official witnesses being selected,
and requested that in the first place copies of the questions should be supplied to
the persons or associations advocating restriction who might have availed them-
selves of the invitation to come forward and lay their views before the Commis-
sion.
Should such persons or associations have held direct communication
with the Commission, steps were taken by the Commission themselves to supply
them with copies of the questions. In addition to this class of witnesses, Local
Governments and Administrations were asked to place copies of the questions
in the hands of official and non-official persons, European and Native, who either
had special knowledge of the subject, or special facilities and aptitude for
acquiring such knowledge. The classes of persons whose evidence the Commis-
sion desired to receive included revenue officers of experience, magisterial offi-
cers, police officers, medical officers, officers acquainted with special races of the
people, zamindars, employers of labour, and the lower grades of officials, profes-
sional men, and missionaries of all denominations. Regarding the latter class,
every effort was put forth by the Commission to obtain missionary opinion on
the subject of their inquiries, and it is a matter of some regret to them that their
efforts have met with but little success. Not only was it announced through
Local Governments that the Commission desired to receive communications from
religious bodies of all denominations, but the Commission themselves also com-
municated freely with persons of this class. But the large majority of them
declined to come forward as witnesses, and many, including Churchmen, Dissent-
ers, and Roman Catholics, communicated letters either to Government or direct
to the Commission excusing themselves on the ground of want of knowledge.
As an example of the want of knowledge of the subject or lack of interest in the
inquiry evinced by missionaries, it may be observed that in one instance (in the
Madras Presidency) the Commission made over 70 copies of their questions to
two sects of missionaries professing to represent one-fifth of the whole missionary
enterprise of the Madras Presidency. Yet the total number of missionaries in
this Presidency who sent in answers or statements to the Commission (though
some of them quoted the opinions of others) was only 15, many of whom do not
belong to either of the two sects referred to. Special instructions were issued
regarding two classes of witnesses. Firstly, in order to secure compliance
with the orders of the Government of India that the evidence of medical
experts should be freely obtained, it was requested that the questions should
be distributed to selected medical officers, both European and Native.
Emphasis was laid upon the importance of ascertaining the views of subordinate
native medical officers whose duties bring them into contact with the people,
and it was suggested that replies should either be obtained separately from com-
petent officers of this class, or that they should be embodied in the replies received
from Civil Surgeons. The evidence of private native medical practitioners of
repute, especially of those practising after native methods, was also solicited. For
the convenience of the medical experts, a separate compilation of the questions
dealing only with that part of the subject with which this class of witness would
be likely to be acquainted was made, the witnesses being left the option of dealing
either with this abbreviated compilation or with the whole series of general ques-
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