291
154
A glance at the map which I have annexed to this paper will show that the disturbances were only on the periphery of the district, and that the centre was not affected except Nuwara Eliya town.
I am convinced that a certain number of agitators had arranged for a riot in this town, but were frustrated. On 13th April a Sinhalese preacher and teacher, Silva, alias Buddhadasa, started to declaim against the English, whom he referred to as para suddhas," at the Ceylonese National Day celebrations, but he was interrupted As far as this district is by his hearers and forced to alter the tone of his remarks. concerned, this National Day movement (led by Mr. Bandaranayake, estate dispenser, Kandapola, and this man Buddhadasa) concerned itself more with politics than social reform, but the leaders were careful to confine themselves to underground activities. The material they worked upon was the nondescript servant class, † which, in Nuwara Eliya, bears none too good a reputation.
At any rate there is no evidence that the conspiracy to foment riots originated in this district.
On bearing news of disturbances in other districts the European planters of Nuwara Eliya District turned out to a man, and placed themselves under the orders of the nearest Justice of the Peace or Volunteer officer. With the aid of this valuable body of men, and with a score of regular soldiers, and some forty or fifty Volunteers, any disturbances which occurred in this district were rapidly suppressed.
No crowds were allowed to proceed far without opposition. The rioters, who were always in small bodies, never offered any resistance even to the individual planters and Volunteers who patrolled the roads. No rioters were fired at in this district, and none were injured. No Moors were murdered, although two who lived at Morape were assaulted and received contused wounds. The ringleaders in nearly every case have been arrested and sentenced to terms of imprisonment by Mr. Hodson and myself. The murderer of the police constable has been sentenced to death by field general court martial held at Kandy.
The mosque at Talawakele was burnt out, and the mosques at Kumbaloluwa, Katukitula, and Padiyapelella were damaged. I endeavoured to carry out Govern- ment order conveyed in paragraph 2 of your letter. The mosque at Kumbaloluwa is being reconstructed. The District Engineer, Pussellawa, has been instructed to repair the Katukitula mosque, and the Moormen of Padiyapelella are being given money wherewith to undertake the necessary repairs to their mosque. The District Engineer, Dimbula, commenced to rebuild the mosque at Talawakele, but was ordered, I understand, to stop work by the Director of Public Works without reference to me. The work is at a standstill till now.
I understand this was due to objections raised by Mr. T. Villiers, of George Stewart & Company. Apparently the Director of Public Works deferred to him without reference to the Commissioner responsible. Hence Government instructions are not being carried out in this instance.
I would mention the names of Mr. Wilson Blackett, J.P., Ramboda; J. L. Tancock, J.P., Rahatungoda; H. J. Temple, J.P., Ambawela; Sergeants S. L. Robert- son, Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps. Nuwara Eliya; J. B. Adkins, Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps (J.P.. Punduloya); H. C. Paterson, Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, Udapussellawa; Mudaliyars Naganather and Edrisinghe, and Welagedera and Alawatugoda Ratemahatmayas, as having been of great assistance to me during the riots.
A. W. SEYMOUR,
Assistant Government Agent,
Special Commissioner.
The Honourable the Colonial Secretary. Matale,
29th September, 1915.
P.S.-I recommend that, as soon as funds permit, the Kandapola and Ragalla telephone system and the Dimbula telephone system be joined up with the trunk lines, and thus render communication with Nuwara Eliya much easier.
Rahatungoda District should be joined by telephone to Kandy.
49546
SIR,
No. 63.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 27th October, 1915.)
(Confidential (C).)
The Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, 7th October, 1915. IN continuation of my Confidential despatch (A) of the 22nd September last," I have the honour to enclose copies of the proceedings in two further cases in which five persons were tried by a field general court martial and sentenced to death, the sentences being duly confirmed and promulgated by the Officer Commanding the Troops. In all five cases I have, with the advice of the Executive Council, decided that the clemency of the Crown should be exercised. I attach a copy of my letter to the Officer Commanding the Troops intimating my decision.
I have, &c.,
SIR,
ROBERT CHALMERS,
Enclosure 1 in No. 63.
Governor, &c.
The Queen's House, Colombo, 25th August, 1915.
I HAVE the honour to inform you, in reply to your letter of the 14th August, 1915, C.R. No. 3256/2/c (A), that, after consulting the Executive Council, I have decided that the clemency of the Crown be exercised in the cases of D. M. Don Girigoris, H. A. Don Lewis Weerasingha, H. M. Juwanis Perera, E. A. Don William, R. A. Don Hendrick, in which sentences of death have been passed by court martial and confirmed by you on 10th August last.
2. I have ordered that the condition of the exercise of the clemency of the Crown be that, in the cases of D. M. Don Girigoris, E. A. Don William, R. A. Don Hendrick, the accused undergo a sentence of fourteen years' rigorous imprisonment each, and that, in the cases of H. A. Don Lewis Weerasingha and H. M. Juwanis Perera, the accused undergo a sentence of seven years' rigorous imprisonment each. 3, I approve the sentences of penal servitude passed by court martial on the other accused mentioned in the schedule dated Colombo No. 6, 26th July, 1915, sub- ject to a reduction in the cases of G. D. Magiris Fernando, alias Sindia, G. D. Charles Fernando, W. D. Leoris Fernando, from ten years' to seven years' penal servitude.
I am, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS,
The Honourable.
The Brigadier-General
Commanding the Troops.
Ceylon
CASE against:-
Enclosure 2 in No. 63.
COURT MARTIAL,
Preliminary Proceedings.
Governor.
1. Dalugama Mudiyanselage Don Girigoris, Police Vidane 274.
2. Honadira Arachchige Don Lewis Weerasinghe.
3. Herat Mohottige Juwanis Perera.
I direct that the above accused be tried by court, martial on charges following:-
ROBERT CHALMERS,
1, treason; 2, shopbreaking; 3, riotously damaging a building.
A. W. SEYMOUR,
10th July, 1915.
Assistant Government Agent.
Governor.
*Not transmitted to Colonial Office.
+ The fact being that servants who lose their places in other districts flock to Nuwara Eliya, where, owing to scarcity of hands at certain seasons, hotels and boarding houses offer employment without much inquiry into the employee's past records.
U 2.
* No. 56.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON