oixui 



6. The Presidency contains an area of about 140,000 square miles 

 with a population of nearly 31 millions. Of this area about 20,000 

 square miles, containing a population of nearly a million, comprise 

 what are called the Agency tracts in the Ganjam, Vizagapatam and 

 Goddvari districts. These tracts are hilly and jungly and inhabited 

 by uncivilized, wild races ; and it is not open to Government to adopt 

 scientific methods of administration in these places. Throughout the 

 Agency tracts, toddy (fermented palm juice) is now left untaxed. 

 During the Rumpa rebellion in 1880, the oppressions of the toddy 

 renters was alleged as one of the reasons for the emeute. In Ganjam, 

 Khonds are allowed to distil spirits for domestic consumption and not 

 for sale. It was at one time thought that Uriya distillers in the 

 Khond country were spreading drunkenness among the Khonds and 

 steadily and surely winning their lands; and they (Uriyas) were pro- 

 hibited from distilling or selling liquor there. Recent reports from 

 the Collector, however, show that the Khonds do not distil liquor 

 themselves, but employ clandestinely Uriya distillers to manufacture 

 for them and that the prohibition above referred to has given rise to 

 considerable illicit traffic in liquor. The question of allowing Uriyas 

 to distil under proper safeguards and strict control is now under the 

 consideration of the Abkdri department. In Vizagapatam the Abkdri 

 privileges in some of the tracts are leased out to contractors, and in 

 others kept under amani management, that is to say, the supply and 

 sale of liquor is made under the supervision of Government officers. 

 In the Rumpa country in the Godavari district little or no spirit is 

 consumed. In some of the other Agency villages in this district the 

 privilege of sale of spirit is leased out to contractors ; in others again 

 to the villagers themselves for lump sums. It will not be possible to 

 control the traffic in liquor in the Agency tracts on the principles laid 

 down by the Secretary of State, and these tracts must be put aside so 

 far as the present inquiry is concerned. There is, however, no reason 

 to think that drunkenness is on the increase in these regions. 



6. Confining our attention to the portions of the Presidency (com- 

 prising an area of nearly 120,000 square miles with a population of 

 about 30 millions) in which it is practicable to regulate the taxation of 

 liquor on the principles laid down by the Secretary of State, the 

 following very brief account will show the steps taken during the last 

 20 years for introducing sound methods of abkdri administration. The 

 liquors principally drunk in this Presidency are, 1st, country spirits, 

 2ndly, imported liquors and liquors manufactured in the country and 

 excised at the customs rate of duty and otherwise dealt with for pur- 

 poses of taxation in the same manner as imported liquors, and, 3rdly, 

 toddy or fermented palm juice. 



7. Country spirits consumed are distilled either from jaggery 

 (crude sugar) or toddy (palm juice). Toddy spirit is in use in the 

 Goddvari, Malabar and South Canara districts and in the coast taluks 

 of the Kistna district and the two taluks of the Kurnool district east 

 of the Nallamalai hills, viz., Cumbum and M^rkdpur, In some of the 

 plain taluks of the Vizagapatam district spirit distilled from mowha 

 flowers (Bassia latifolia) and also spirit distilled from rice are con- 

 sumed. In the remaining portions, jaggery spirit is drunk. 



