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2 tural produce generally. - Under British Rule the rate of the Land Tax
3 is much lower, but the ‘cultivation is under certain restrictions. The
4 cultivator may grow enough for his own consumption, but allggrown
5 Must be disposed ofto beyond that limit he must dispose of to the
6 formers. Government monopolist under penalties, It is
7 generally believed that the restriction does operate to diminish the culti-
8 vation of the Poppy. Less is grown now than formerly in the Punjab.
9 The supply, however, is made up by importation from the North, the
10 West and the East. It might indeed, be at first sight supposed that
11 this diminution of the culture,of a drug would be beneficial rather than
12 _ otherwise. But in point of fact, the Opium and the Poppy-head do not
13 appear to he injurious to the Punjab people, or at all: events are not
14 used to any deleterious extent. If the culture were increased, there |
15 would probably be no risk of harm resulting. The question, therefore, of
16 increase or decrease of the indigenous culture is not a moral, but a fiscal
17 one. Ifa plan could be devised whereby the culture.might be increased,
18 and the Revenue enhanced in consequence, such plan might be legiti-
19 mately carried out. It has therefore been discussed, though it has not
20 Droponll, 40: etieliah yet been decided, whether the present system in
21 monopoly and substitute regard to Opium might not be abolished, and
22 ee whether the present restrictions might not be
23 removed on the condition that the cultivator should pay to Govern-
24 ment an extra rate. per acre of Rupees 2 an acre, or some such
25 sum, in addition to the Land Tax rate, and should then be free to
26 dispose of the Poppy as he chose. It is not impossible that the
27 cultivator might prefer the change, whereby on paying the extra rate
28 he would have liberty of disposal, instead of selling to the Government
29 farmer ; and if he were to find such change advantageous, he would
30 probably increase his cultivation. But as the present extent of culture
31 is small, and the indirect tax is really raised in great part from
32 imported quantities, it is ascertained that the extra rate of Rupees 2
33 on the area at present cultivated, 7. e. about 15,000 acres, would
34 amount to only Rupees 30,000 or £3,000, and would therefore by no
35 means compensate for the loss of the existing Revenue on the Opium
36 and Poppy-head, viz. Rupees 1,50,000. Success would consequently
37 depend upon a large increase of Poppy cultivation, and it is probable that
38 there would be an increase.
39 ‘