31. Evidence of COLONEL C. H. GARBETT, Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh.

1. Baba Basanto Krisna Bose, as Excise Officer since September 1892, and Rai Jadu Nath Mukerji as one who has given attention to the subject since a long time.

2. Yes. Siddhi is known here as" siddhi " or " sabji." " Chores " as charas. Flat ganja is called " chipta," round ganja " gol," and broken ganja ‘chur"

3. Nowhere in this Division.

7. No.

14. No.

18. Ganja deteriorates by keeping. It retains its properties for about two years from date of its preparation if kept with ordinary care. Dryage of the resinous substance is the cause of deterioration. No means are known here to prevent deterioration.    Regarding cbaras nothing is
known, as it is not used in this district. Siddhi is a little more durable than ganja. In the case of gaeja people prefer to have fresh ganja, while in the rase of siddhi they prefer stuff two or three years old. Siddlii also deteriorates by dryage and consequent breakage.

19. In this district charas is not used at all; and ganja is used only for smoking-.

20. Ganja is not used by the Muhammadans, of the district, except those of them who form the fakir (beggar) class. Of the Hindus the lower classes do not use it, while it is very commonly used by the middle and well-to-do classes. This remark applies to the whole of the district. Ganja is not extensively used in this district.

The proportion of ganja-smokers to the entire population does not probably exceed one in a thousand.

21. Flat ganja is preferred here.

22. None.

23. It is sometimes used for smokink when ganja is unavailable. Its use is not confined to any particular locality or to any particular class.

24. The eating of bhang is not resorted to by any particular class. It is eaten only on particular occasions with particular preparations. The common use of the drug is in the shape of drink.

The drug is used by the middle and the upper classes of the reople, and the proportion of bhang consumers to the whole population is estimated to be about one in two thousand.

25. Neither.

26. As regards ganja the generality of the consumers fall under head (a). Classes (b), (c) and (d) are rare. As regards siddhi, (a) habitual moderate consumers are about 75 per cent., class (6) is nil, class (c) is 25 per cent., and class (d) is nil.

27. Ganja consumers consist of the well-to-do petty land holders or cultivators, all of whom have extensive cultivations. Exposure in the rainy months to the inclemencies of the weather is generally the cause which make them resort to the practice.

As regards siddhi, the consumers become addicted to it for the sake of its narcotic effect, and it is preferred by the upper classes because its
moderate use is not looked down upon by society.

28. (a) In case of ganja, ¼ of a tola per head per diem, at a cost of one anna. In case of siddhi, 1/1 of a tola per diem, at a cost of three pie.

29. Dry tobacco leaf is ordinarily mixed with gauja ; in exceptional cases, prepared tobacco is mixed in addition. By "prepared tobacco" is meant tobacco leaves pounded and mixed with treacle to the consistence of paste. Dry leaf is mixed in order to reduce the ganja to the consistency required for smoking. Prepared tobacco is used in order to make it sweet.

Bhang massala is ordinarily mixed with bhang, and in exceptional cases sweetmeats. (Dhatura is not used with either of these drugs.) Mang massala is used in order to make the stuff tasty. The exceptional admixture of sweets makes it a luxury and at the same time stronger in its effects. A preparation known as bhang massala is sold by the Banias (country druggists) in packets containing—
(1) Sonf (aniseed).
(2) Cucumber seed.
(3) Golmirich (black-pepper).
(4) Chhota elaichi (cardamom).
(5) Kasni.

30. Ganja is used both in solitude and in company and siddhi is generally used in solitude. It is mainly confined to the male sex, but not to any time of life. It is not usual for children to consume any of these drugs.

31. The habit is easily formed. To break it off is not difficult in the case of bhang, but very difficult in the case of ganja. There is a tendency to increase in the consumption of ganja, but not so in the ease of bhang.

32. There is no custom, social or religious, in regard to the use of ganja on any occasion, but in the case of bhang there is a custom among the Hindus to use it on the last day of the Durga Puja. The use is, however, not essential, and it is always temperately used. It is not injurious, nor does such use lead to the formation of a habit. The custom is that, after consigning the image into the waters on the tenth day of the moon of the month of Assin, people assemble in the house where the Puja took place and there they salute and embrace each other and drink a little bhang and take a little sweetmeat.

33. The consumption of ganja is generally regarded with dislike, while that of bhatig is not taken notice of at all. There is a social public opinion against the use of ganja, but not so in the case of bhang. The use of ganja brings one into disrepute, as it is considered to be productive of bad effects both as regards the body and the mind. There is no custom of worshipping the plant in this district.

34. It would be in the case of ganja, but not in the case of bhang. The sudden deprivation of ganja to a habitual smoker for a couple of days or so would affect the physical powers. The probable number in this district who would suffer by the privation is perhaps a thousand.

35. Feasible in the case of bhang, but not in the case of ganja. There are no means of getting ganja illicitly in this district, but the result would be that the habitual smokers would take to the use of dhatura, which practice they resort to even now, when they cannot procure ganja for a number of days. It would be very easy to enforce the prohibition in this district by stopping the import which is under the control of Government. The prohibition would certainly cause discontent among the consumers, but not to the extent of making it a political danger. Such prohibition would be followed by recourse to alcoholic stimulants and other drugs.

36. Alcohol is not taken in the place of ganja and bhang in this district.

37. There is a difference, but particulars are not known, as charm is not used in this district.

38. Not so far as is here known.

39. No experience in the matter.

40. Yes, ganja and bhang are used for medicinal purposes by the kabirajes, but not charas. Shang is used for the treatment of cattle.

41. (a) We do not know that ganja and charas are beneficial on this head, but bhang is.

(b) Yes (for all the three).

(c) Ganja is used as a preventive of malarial diseases.

(d) The use of ganja is considered by devotees particularly to help in the concentration of minds.

Cultivators in marshy tracts use it for purposes referred to in clause (a). Postal runners and other people who have constantly to go long distances use it for the (b) property, and professional fakirs use it for properties mentioned above under clause (d). The proportion is, we think, cent, per cent. We refer both to moderate and occasional use of the drug.

42. We consider the moderate use of charas and bhang to be harmless, as we have never come across any consumers who have been injuriously affected.

43. Yes.

44. The immediate effect of the moderate use of these drugs is refreshing. It does produce intoxication; it does not allay hunger ; it creates appetite; the effect lasts two or three hours in case of ganja and chains and about six hours in the case of bhang. There are after-effects in case of bhang only. Want of subsequent gratification produces longing and uneasiness.

45. Habitual moderate use of ganja does produce noxious effects. It impairs the constitution, but it does not injure appetite. It causes dysentery, bronchitis, and asthma in some cases, but it does not impair the moral sense. It produces insanity in some cases. In case of temporary insanity symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint.

46. Habitual excessive use of every one of these drugs (though to a less extent in the case of charas) produces all the bad effects referred to in question 45.

47 and 48. No.

49 and 50. We don't know.

51 and 52. No. We believe there is no such connection.

53. Excessive indulgence in ganja produces anger, and may thereby induce unpremeditated violence. lt is said that it produces temporary homicidal frenzy.

54 and 55 No.

56. By admixture of some of the substances the intoxicating power of the drugs is increased, while others lessen the feeling of heat in the brain after intoxication has disappeared. The use of dhatura as an admixture produces all the bad effects mentioned before.

57. We have never known this.

58. The present system is working well in this district and we have no suggestion to offer for its improvement.

63 and 61. No.

65. Yes.

66. Yes, because of the difference in the quantity of toxic materials in each kind.

67 and 88. No.

69. Not in this district. The number of shops necessary for this district and the quantity of consumption are so small that public opinion in the present backward conditions of the district need not be taken into consideration.

70. There is no importation of any of the drugs from Native States into this district. So far as this district is concerned duty is really paid in respect to the drugs used, and there is no general use of untaxed drugs at all.