سلسلسا
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
C.O. 882
9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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in revenue to the Colony. Now, Sir, I want to know what you are going to do with these distilleries in different parts of the country. The part of the country from Panadure to Dondra Head where toddy may be drawn is only 20 miles wide and less than 100 miles long; and that country is dotted over with out-stills, and toddy is being taken from each centre to its own distillery; and distillation takes place in each distillery, and then the arrack passes under the control of the renter. Well, with one cry all the Members of the Legislative Council, including the Members of the Executive Council, at the head of whom stands Your Excellency, declare Knock all these distilleries on the head." Well, we will knock the dis- We tilleries on the head. I shall also join in the cry, simply to keep company with the rest. Well, in the place of these what other distilleries will you have? To Madras we have to look again for the solution of this question. You say, shall have Government distilleries; we shall have central distilleries as in Madras." Let me know the details of the And the question arises - How many central distilleries are you going to have? No answer! How are you going to work them? scheme. No public question, no domestic question, can be solved satisfactorily unless you have answers ready to questions of detail. To let one's imagination Let us see run riot on imaginary outlines is easy enough. But the practical man wants to see the actual details. Let us talk of each detail upon its own merits. the relation which one detail bears to another, and see all the details standing together in the aggregate. Let us see if it can be most effectively carried out. Nothing of the kind is furnished to me or to Honourable Members in regard to the details of the system, or the difficulties besetting this part of the subject. Now, supposing that central distilleries were brought into vogue, what is to be the cost of each distillery? Somebody said Rs. 78,000. I think in the Excise Commissioners' Report. That is a small distillery, capable of distilling only a limited number of gallons, which may or may not be enough for carrying on the system we are engaged on. But if we want a larger distillery, the amount must run to over Rs. 100,000 I ask now how many distilleries are there going to be on the ground from out of which 240 little stills are to be chucked away? Have we got any informa Will my honourable friend enlighten me upon this point tion on the subject, Sir? for the purposes of this debate now?
OF 80.
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: I think possibly, Sir, it will be better---
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR: The Colonial Secretary will reply to the Honourable Member's remarks at the close of the debate, in his reply to all the remarks of Members.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: But how can I go on?
HIS EXCELLENcy the GovernOR The Honourable Member has possession of You the House.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: I cannot be effaced in that way.
You would not give the Honourable That is would not give the public any information.
What are we here for? To trifle with us? Members any information.
We want precise information before our time
not the way to govern the country. is taken up for the purpose of the public. If you would not give us that informa- tion, I say that is an act of misgovernment which ought not to be repeated here.
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: I question whether the Honourable It is quite foreign to the tone of any Member of this Council Member is in order to address Your Excellency in the manner in which the Honourable Member has spoken. Personally, I think that an apology is called for. If an apology is not offered, I propose to move for the suspension of the Honourable Member.
HIS EXCELLENcy the GovernOR: The Colonial Secretary is perfectly right in You a matter of order. The Honourable Member has taken the extreme measure of animadverting on the way in which the Colony is governed by the Governor. have just called it misgovernment. In these circumstances, I must call upon the Honourable Member to withdraw his remarks and apologise.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: Does Your Excellency mean to say-- HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR: I call on the Honourable Member to with- draw the remark and apologise.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: Sir, I am in an unfortunate position, because
I call on the Honourable Member
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR : Excuse me.
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to withdraw the remark and apologise, and until he does so I cannot allow the Honourable Member to proceed with his remarks.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: I am compelled, then, by the power that Your Excellency has, to make an apology for using the words "act of mis- government on the part of Your Excellency.
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: I do not think, Sir, that is quite what will satisfy the requirements of my colleagues on this Council. We require an apology for the last few sentences addressed to the Chair by the Honourable Member, and for the manner in which they were addressed. I very strongly feel that it is altogether repellent, and I believe no less to the Unofficial than to the Official Members, that the Governor of this Colony, and His Majesty the King's representative amongst us, should be addressed in that manner by any Member of this Board. It is entirely opposed to all the traditions of this Council, and I feel perfectly certain that I have the whole sense of this Council with me when I say we require an apology for the words.
The Honourable the EUROPEAN RURAL MEMBER: May I, as one of the oldest Unofficial Members, support every word that has fallen from the Colonial Secretary
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: Sir, I withdraw the words "act of misgovernment. I say. Sir, that it pleases the Unofficial Members of this Council
"
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: Sir, the Honourable Member has not made the apology which I, as Senior Official Member of this Council, after my friend the Brigadier-General, have the right to demand, and unless that apology is made, I have no alternative, most painful as the action will be, but to move and put to the division that the Honourable Member be suspended.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: Will the Honourable Member tell me the words of the apology?
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: The words that I would suggest are that "I, Mr. Ramanathan, very much regret that in the heat of the moment I should have allowed myself to be carried away, and to have made use of words and of expressions and to have adopted a tone in addressing the Chair which does not meet with the approval of my colleagues on the Legislative Council."
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: I may certainly say this much, Sir, that in view of the expression of opinion made by Your Excellency and my honour- able friend the Colonial Secretary, I regret very much that I should have given offence to them by the use of the words they think I ought not to have used.
The Honourable the COLOnial SecretaRY: I do not think that will do. It is simply a question whether the Honourable Member is prepared to apologise or not. I do not wish to dictate terms, but the apology must be full, ample, and complete. We cannot receive any qualified apology addressed to His Majesty's representative in this Council.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: My honourable friend is not correct. in saying that I have made a qualified apology. I am not qualifying it by any I see that I have caused offence to the Honourable the Colonial Secretary and to His Excellency the Governor.
terms.
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: To the Council, I submit, Sir.
The Honourable the TREASURER: To the Council.
HIS EXCELLency the GovERNOR: To the Council,
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: To the Council? Very well, Sir,
I have no hesitation in withdrawing all those remarks unreservedly. Will that do?
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY: It is not for me but for the Council to decide.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: And I apologise for making those
remarks.
HIS EXCELLENcy the GoverNOR: Proceed, Mr. Ramanathan.
The Honourable the CEYLONESE MEMBER: Thank you, Sir. Now, Sir, it is only right-I put it to you-it is only right that if my opinion is required upon a vital subject before the Legislative Council, I should be given the information for me to form my opinion. I say that neither my honourable friend, nor any paper put before the Council, has yet given me information in regard to the distilleries.
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