BALUCHISTAN (QUETTA-PISHIN) MEMORANDUM.

No. 7432, dated the 30th December 1893.

From—The Political Agent and Deputy Commissioner, Quetta-Pishin,

To—The Agent to the Governor-General and Chief Commissioner in Baluchistan.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your office endorsement No. 6286, dated the 17th ultimo, forwarding a copy of the correspondence from the Secretary, Indian Hemp Drugs Commission.

2. In reply I beg to report that the only social tody which seemed likely to take an interest in the matter appeared to me the " Band of Hope, Baluchistan," Quetta. It is comprised of men of almost all religious denominations, and the object is the total abstinence from all intoxicating drugs and drinks. A copy of the questions set forth by the Commission, together with a copy of the correspondence, was sent to the Secretary, who has written to say that "the society is not in a position to answer the questions."

3. The questions were sent to the Assistant Political Agent, Quetta, the Extra Assistant Commissioner, Pishin, and the Native Assistant, Chaman. The replies furnished by the Extra Assistant Commissioner, Pishin, is marked A. The other two officers have not answered any of the questions.

4. The questions set forth for "medical evidence" were forwarded to the following officers :--

(1) Principal Medical Officer, Quetta    ..    ..•    ... 1 copy.

(2) Agency Surgeon, for Civil Surgeon, Quetta, Hospital Assistant, Quetta, Pishin, and Chaman ...    ••.    ...    ... 4 copies.

They were requested to furnish the replies by the 15th instant, but no answer has yet been received. Their replies will be submitted to you immediately they are received in this office.

5. I have recorded my own replies to the questions, which are marked B.

6. A statement was attached to the Secretary's letter No. 28, dated the 11th August 1893, which requires information from 1873-74 to 1892,93. The Quetta-Pishin district was formed only in 1883, but I regret that the figures are not available for more than three years. These, too, as far as the number of retail licenses goes, are not very accurate, the information having been obtained from the contractors.

The contractors cannot furnish the quantities imported each year, nor the amount of each drug sold. One contract is given for intoxicating drugs, and the revenue derived from bhang, gania, and charas respectively cannot be ascertained. From the statistics obtained for the first six months, April to September, of the current financial year, it appears that proportion of sales of the three articles is approximately as under :—

Bhang       1
Chams    12
Ganja      1
Total 14

7. The sale of these drugs is now regulated by the rules framed by the Revenue Commissioner on the 14th July 1893, which are embodied (vide pages 21, 22, 25, and 26) in a memorandum on the excise system of this district, a copy of which is enclosed, marked D.

8. In the third paragraph of his letter No. 28, dated the 11th August 1893, the Secretary has asked that a memorandum should be prepared setting forth clearly and fully the system of administration at present in force in respect to these drugs. To this letter a note is added containing the points in regard to which the Commission specially desire information. I beg to record below the information as far as this district is concerned :—

(a) The system is uniform in the district. The general control rests with the Deputy Commissioner. The administration of the system, which is based on Act XXII of 1881 and the rules made thereunder by the Revenue Commissioner, is carried out by the Assistant Political Agent at Quetta, the Extra Assistant Commissioner at Pishin, and the Native Assistant at Chaman.

(b) Wild hemp is not found in this district.

(c) Hemp is cultivated to a very small extent in one or two villages of the Quetta subdivision. The produce is sold to the Government contractor. The hemp produced during the last year, 189243, did not amount to more than some twelve seers.

(d) The contractors who obtain annually the right to sell the drugs by retail import the drugs. Permits are issued to them to enable them to import drugs from Sindh and the Punjab. No special measures are adopted to supervise the storing and transport of these drugs.

(e) The system of licensing the retail vend is given in the rules referred to in the 6th paragraph of this letter.

( f) The right to sell the drugs is sold annually by public auction. The amount thus fixed is recovered by monthly instalments.

(g) There is no "local option." The number or shops is fixed by the Deputy Commissioner. Shops are generally allowed in thickly populated parts of the town.

(h) No rate is fixed at which the drugs must be sold. The contractor fixes his own prices. The present retail prices of the drugs are the following :—

Bhang        •••    Re.    1 per seer.
Charas    •••        Rs.    20 per seer or 4 annas a tola.
Ganja    •••    '''    „    7-8 per seer or Re. 0-1.6 a tola.

(1) The maximum amount fixed for retail sale of each drug is the following :—

Bhang    •••    ...    i seer.
Charas    •••    ....    5 tolas.
Ganja    •••    —...    5 P,

(j) No eases of smuggling from other provinces or Native States have come to my notice.

(k) No modifications of the present excise system in respect to hemp drugs are under consideration.