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 1486-87 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 establishment 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, maium, 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 restrictions 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 anuas for ganja and 2 annas for majum on a seer of 24 toles. Toe contractor guarantees a fixed minimum annual revenue to Government 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 general public and other objections to the opening of the shop in a particular locality ; the Collector's sanction will be based on the result of such inquiry.

They are not auctioned. No upset prices are fixed. The number is determined with re- ference to the area and population. The present number in the Civil and Military Station is 6. Nothing in the nature of "local option."

(h) The rates at which ganja is sold in Civil and Military Station to retail vendors by the Government contractor (wholesale vendor) are—

The rates at which the vendors sell to consumers are—

(i) The maximum amount sold to a consumer is limited to 5 tolas in one day; any-quantity over this required for special purposes must be purchased under the Magistrate's pass. The prices are those fixed by Government (vide h). Sales over and below the fixed price are made punishable.

(j) The careful check placed by the officers of the Excise, Police, and Municipality prevents illicit cultivation, smuggling, and illicit sale. Such instances are rare in Civil and Military Station.

(k) No modification of the present system is under consideration.

(l) The following table shows the quantity of imports of drugs from the Madras districts, the sales, and the amount of revenue from 1886-87 (the year from which contract was separated from that of the Darbar) to 1892-93 :—