PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O. 882
mmi
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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12. From paragraph 6 of the statement it would seem that there is some con- fusion of thought on the part of the Committee as to what a renting system in its simplest form means From (a) it appears as if they considered that the rents should be sold only to local residents, but that is no essential part of a renting system, and Government never bound itself to sell only to such residents. In the quotation from the speech of the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, which is given in para- graph 2 of their statement, it will be seen that the word used is "individuals," and not residents." Similarly, a renting system does not necessarily involve the sale by taverns separately. Any convenient areas containing different numbers of taverns may be sold. The Government Agents were asked to sell either by single taverns, or by groups of taverns, or by areas of country, as they considered most suitable to the circumstances of each district, or in other words, a renting system in its simplest form was the method employed.
..
13. The statements in paragraph 7 of the Committee's representation that Government have not succeeded in their desire to prevent the association of arrack renters with toddy licences," and that "the toddy taverns have in numerous cases been established where there was no proved demand" cannot, in view of what has been shown above, be accepted as correct, but, on the contrary, the action of Govern. ment in both these respects has been well considered and appropriate, and there is no real need for the appointment of the Committee of Inquiry with a request for which the statement concludes.
H. HORSBURGH,
The Honourable
the Colonial Secretary.
Enclosure 3 in No. 7.
Excise Commissioner.
REPORT ON THE AFFIDAVIT OF Mr. C. E. V. S. COREA BY THE ASSISTANT GOVERNMENT AGENT, PUTTALAM AND CHILAW.
Paragraphs 1 to 4. No comment.
5, 6, and 7. The bidding for this rent was prompt and brisk. It is well known that capitalists from Chilaw District rarely invest in Crown rents.
At the present time all the rents here, including the ferry toll rents, are held
by capitalists from Negombo, Colombo, or Kalutara Districts.
8. Bidding for this rent was not so prompt as in the case of the other rents, the reason being that on the previous evening a mass meeting (organised by the affirmant, Mr. Corea) had been held at Chilaw-the very centre of Pitigal Korale North-for the purpose of intimidating bidders and generally boycotting the sale.
The headman referred to appeared to come forward of his own accord, but in view of the unfair tactics of the affirmant and his fellow conspirators, the Muda. The liyar would have been justified even had he ordered the headman to bid. headman* in question is a man of some means, who could have bought the rent.
9. The objection was raised but was overruled. Siman Fernando, whose bid was accepted, is not the clerk and manager of Mr. Wijeratne, the arrack renter of the district. He was formerly employed under Mr. Wijeratne, but is so no longer. I cannot vouch 10. Substantially correct as regards the sale of these rents. for the correctness, nor am I aware of the importance of the casual remark attributed to a bidder at the sale. I know, however, that there is a good demand for fermented toddy in these two divisions of the Puttalam District, and that the rent was worth much more than it fetched. How far the boycott affected this sale too I am unable to say; it must have had some effect.
11. True; and I mentioned that an unpaid headman was not debarred abso- lutely from investing his capital n. toddy rents. If Government objected to his remaining in office after he became a renter he would resign. (He was a minor headman, whose jurisdiction extended to only one village. The rent area was the whole korale.)
• The P.H. of Kakkapalliya I think, not a vidane aracci.
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12 and 13. I have made enquiries on more than one occasion and have not been able to find any foundation for the assertion of affirmant that the renter of Pitigal Korale North is a clerk or manager or partner of the arrack renter; and it is to be noted that not an atom of evidence in support of this assertion is to be found in the numerous speeches and letters to the press of the affirmant.
Both the arrack renter and the toddy renter have emphatically denied the existence of any business connection between them.
The only evidence that Mr. Corea can adduce of the alleged connection is to be found in paragraph 15 of the affidavit. Mr. Fernando and Mr. Wijeratna were seen together at Chilaw Rest House! This astounding statement will be appraised at its true worth by those who know Chilaw Rest House to be one of the most frequented rest houses on the western seaboard, where on occasion all sorts and conditions of men may be found.
14. After the sale there was some casual conversation in the sale room between
obiter dictum myself and the chief headmen present. I do not remember the " attributed to the Mudaliyar, Pitigal Korale North, on that occasion; nor do I think that he could have made that statement. Whether made or not, it is not a true statement.
16. Contains another important piece of evidence:-An arrack renter was seen at the sale room! Here again all sorts and conditions of men were to be found. The Catholic parish priest, a Hindu priest, affirmant himself, and many others who certainly did not come to buy or acquire any interest in the toddy rents, were also present at the sale. What was their motive?
17 and 18. Mr. Simon Fernando, toddy renter of Pitigal Korale North, is manager for the toddy renter of Pitigal Korale South and Pitigal Korale Central. I am not aware that there is any irregularity involved in this arrangement.
19. Quite correct as regards the leasing of sites on Crown land. (I have already reported fully on this point.)
12 October, 1912.
J. CONROY,
Enclosure 4 in No. 7.
Assistant Government Agent.
The sale of the Puttalam and Chilaw toddy rents took place on the 31st ultimo
at Chilaw. Efforts were made by Mr. Corea and other habitual agitators to render The rent of the sale abortive, but in spite of these efforts the sale was successful. each chief headman's division was put up separately, with the following results :-
Amount realised.
Pitigal Korale South with 18 caddies
Pitigal Korale North with 17 caddies
Pitigal Korale Central with 15 caddies
Puttalam Pattu with 9 caddies, and Kalpitiya Pattu
with 7 caddies
Rs.
24,000
4,350
12,000
1,140
(No toddy caddies having been considered necessary in Demala Hat Pattu, the rent of that division was not sold.)
2. The chagrin of Mr. Corea and his fellow conspirators at the success of the sale is reflected in the garbled and distorted view of the proceedings presented by the speech of Mr. Corea, as reported in the annexed newspaper cutting.*
3. I will deal with the misstatements seriatim :—
A. Is true.
The renter of Pitigal Korale Central and Pitigal Korale South
is Mr. N. E. de Croos, formerly arrack renter of various districts, but not interested in any arrack rent of the coming year.
B. and C. Before the sale began the Mudaliyar of Pitigal Korale North asked me if a village headman might bid. I saw no objection; I pre-
• Not printed.