CO129-478 - Public Offices & Others - 1922 — Page 85

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and Revenue Departments of the proper rank are given powers of search, seizure and detention. There is also a special rule prescribing that in prosecutions for breaches of the Act it shall Te presumed, until the contrary is proved, that all opium for which an accused person is unable to account satisfactorily is opinm in respect to which he has committed an offence under the Act. The main provisions of the rules made by the different provinces are uniform. The produce of the poppy cultivated on Government account must all be delivered to the Govern- ment Opin Department, and such opium can, therefore, only be obtained from Government. The produce of the poppy cultivated by licensed cultivators in the Punjab can only be sold to licensed vendors and cannot be obtained direct by the ordinary consumer. Government, or "excise," opium, is issued only to licensed wholesale or retail vendors. The wholesale vendor may sell such opium, or opium obtained from a licensed cultivator, only to other licensed vendors or to licensed drug- gists; the retail vendor and the licensed druggist may sell to individuals. Thus the individual can obtain opium produced in India only from a licensed retail vendor or a licensed drug- gist. Each stage of the distribution down to the retail vendor is safeguarded by an elaborate system of transport passes, while the conditions governing the licence of a retail vendor are most stringent. He may not sell to any one person at one time more than the quantity of opium which an individual may lawfully possess; he may sell only for cash and only on premises for which he is licensed; he must not allow consumption on such premises, and he must keep correct daily accounts of his sales, which shall be open at all times to inspection by Excise officers. The number of licensed shops in an area is fixed so as not to exceed what is necessary to satisfy the moderate needs of legitimate consumers, and is constantly being reduced as improvements in communications or other changes in local circumstances render centralisation of supply more easy, In the year 1892-93 there were 9,531 opium shops in British India, By 1907-08 these had been reduced to 8,136; and the figure now stands at 6,394. The amount of opium of which an individual may be in possession varies according to circumstances in the different provinces, but in most places is either 360 or 540 grains.

Equally strict control is maintained over the supply of Indian grown opium obtainable from a licensed druggist and the supply of imported opium. A notification under the Sea Customs Act, 1878, No. 720-79, dated the 4th February 1911, prohibits absolutely the import of opium by sea or by land by means of the post, and restricts its import by other means to cases in which it is imported by persons permitted to import it by a Local Government or Administration. The rules as to import made by Local Governments vary considerably in detail, but generally speaking it may be said that only licensed drug- gists and medical practitioners are permitted to import opium, in quantities of which they may lawfully be in possession by

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means of a special permit or licence. Exceptions are made in the case of visitors of distinction from countries outside India and foreign horse-dealers, who are allowed to import small quantities for the personal use of themselves and their attendants or for their horses. In the Punjab licensed vendors are also permitted to import on passes opium produced in the Simla Hill States and the Hill States of Chamba, Maudi, Suket and Sirmur. Similarly, in Ajmer-Merwara licensed wholesale and retail vendors may import Malwa opium ou pass. The further distri- bution of opium thus obtained from Indian States is regulated in exactly the same manner as the distribution of excise opium described above. Imports by licensed druggists and supplies obtained by them from licensed vendors can only be sold for medicinal purposes, in quantities not in excess of the amount which the purchaser may legally possess, and correct accounts must be maintained showing the amount of opium in the possession of the licensee from day to day.

The following statistics form a striking commentary on the success of the Government's policy

Year.

Excise Revenue (Licence Fees and Duty) converted into sterling at Rs. 16

to the

Consumption, Excise Cheats

of 1234 lbs.

£

1911-12

8,334

1,010,133

1912-13

8,496

1,150,466

1913-14

8,610

1,356,066

1914-15

8,311

1,372,666

1915-16

8,066

1,424,600

1916-17

8,099

1,373,066

1917-18

8,262

1,457,200

1918-19

7,893

1,587,733

1919-20

7,480

1,676,333

During the same period the issue price of excise opium has been raised as shown below:-

Province.

Madras

Bombay Bengal Burma

Bihar and Orissa

—

Issue Price Rs. per seer (2'2 lbs.).

1911-12.

1921.

28

60

24 and 27

45

20 10 35

50

35 to 72

70 to 1063

17 to 35

55

United Provinces

18 to 20

55

13 to 37

50

North-West Frontier Pro-

vince

18 to 26

50

13 to 37

50

Central Provinces

23

45

Assam

37 and 40

50

30

50

Baluchistan

35

Punjab

Delhi

Coorg

16

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