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REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94.
[APP.
MEMORANDUM BY COLONEL MAGRATH, DISTRICT MAGISTRATE AND
COLLECTOR, CIVIL AND MILITARY STATION OF BANGALORE.
The system which controls the sale of the drugs commonly known as ganja and majum
in the Civil and Military Station is almost the same as that prevailing in the Mysore State.
Up to 31st March 1886 the contract of the Civil and Military Station for raising Government
revenue was joint with that of the Mysore Darbar, the assigned tract receiving its share
proportionately on the population. Since 1886-87 the contract is distinct, but the Darbar's
subordinate executive staff for city also exercise supervision over the wholesale and retail drug
shops in the Civil and Military Station under the orders of the Collector, the cost of establish-
ment being also proportionately adjusted annually between the two tracts.
The rules framed (copy enclosed) by the Resident under the Excise Act provide for the
control of the growth of the Indian hemp plant from which ganja is prepared; there was no
occasion to issue a license for its cultivation. The drug is easily imported by the licensed
contractor from Vellore and Cocanada in the Madras Presidency. The Cocanada drug is much
appreciated by the consumers in this province; better sales and greater revenue are effected
by such drug. The bulk of the drug imported lately has been that of Vellore. Appendix
N of the ganja rules gives a full description of the drugs known in this country as ganja,
majum, and bhang used by consumers in Civil and Military Station. Charas is little known
in this country.
(a) The system obtaining in the Civil and Military Station is briefly stated above.
The chief executive officer is the Collector; the Resident is the chief controlling
authority. Act XXII of 1881, as amended by subsequent enactments and the
rules framed thereunder by the Resident, is the law on which the system is
based.
(b) Wild hemp is scarcely grown in Civil and Military Station. Any plant found
growing spontaneously is uprooted by the Excise officers and destroyed under
the Collector's orders.
(c) The cultivation of the hemp plant in Civil and Military Station is interdicted, but
there were two or three instances within the last seven years in which persons,
in spite of Government order to stop the growth, allowed the growth of one or
two plants in each case in the backyards of their houses and in the fence of
their gardens. They were prosecuted and punished.
(d) The importer of the ganja drug is the contractor for Civil and Military Station.
He is also the wholesale vendor. Whenever the contractor wants to lay in
a stock according to the terms of his agreement, an import pass is issued by
the Collector for the required quantity. This pass is produced by him before
the executive revenue officer of the district from whence the drug is imported.
He is thereafter allowed to purchase the drug to the extent permitted in the
import pass. On the arrival of the consignment of the drugs in Civil and
Military Station, the Government Head Supervisor verifies the quantity with
the Collector's pass and then it is booked and stored in the Government
warehouse. The daily issues by the wholesale to retail vendor are checked by
the Excise officers.
(e) The wholesale and retail vendors are under the control of the officers of the
Excise department. They are licensed; full details of the conditions and restric-
tions will be found in Appendices B, H, and I of the Ganja Rules.
(f) The tax or duty on ganja is levied through the licensed contractor. The contract
generally extends for a period of three years at a time. Government duty is
fixed at the rate of 6 annas for ganja and 2 annas for majum on a seer of 24
tolas. The contractor guarantees a fixed minimum annual revenue to Govern-
ment which he is allowed to pay into Government treasury by twelve equal
monthly instalments. If the sales in any month are found to realize more
than the guaranteed revenue for that month, then an excess fee at the above
rate is levied from the contractor; if deficient, the contractor will make good.
He is, however, allowed credit for this deficiency in excess sales (if any) in any
subsequent month within the same official year. Illicit smuggling of ganja
tending to evasion of payment of duty is made punishable. All officers of
police and municipality take precautions against smuggling; persons detected
are prosecuted by the Excise executive officers before the magistracy.
(g) The sites for retail shops are fixed by the Collector in consultation with the District
Superintendent of Police, who makes a local inquiry as to the complaints of