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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TILL co. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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I desire to criticize the several resolutions of the National Conference on Constitutional Reforms, as forwarded to you in my despatch of 10th January of this year.
Resolution 11" This Conference is of opinion that the system of Crown Colony administration which has prevailed in this island for over a hundred years is unsuited to its needs and conditions, and inconsistent with British ideals, hinders the development and progress of the people, and is detrimental to their welfare; and that a reform of the Constitution and Administration is imperatively required, and a vigorous development of self-governing institutions, with a view to the realization of responsible government in the country as an integral part of the British Empire." I do not agree with this statement. The system of Crown Colony Govern- ment in this island has been, as you are well aware, beneficent in its nature," and has made for the great development of the resources of the island and for its progress. The community, as a whole. may become fitted by education in con- stitutional methods in the future to advance towards more liberal ways of self- government, but it is by no means in that condition at present.
Resolution III.— This Conference is of opinion that reforms more liberal than those deemed necessary for India by the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy, and set forth in their report of 22nd April, 1918, should be immediately granted to Ceylon, which, while akin to India in race and culture, has conditions more favourable for political development."
With this I entirely disagree. The conditions which are stated to be more favourable than in India for political development may exist, but that is com- parative and I doubt if the masses of the population here have any more advanced ideas as to what is meant by "political development" in any form than the masses in India may have.
Resolution IV-"That the Legislative Council of Ceylon should be enlarged and reconstituted so as to contain a substantial majority of members elected upon the basis of a territorial electorate with a broad franchise, with due safeguards for minorities."
The enlargement of the Council to enable the nine Provinces each to send up a member to Legislative Council I think may be reasonable, together with repre- sentation of the European, Burgher. Kandyan, Mohammedan, and possibly the Indian, communities, but I would not propose a substantial majority of Elected Members; on the contrary. I should consider such a proposal undesirable at first, and at any rate until the reformed Council had progressed in its ideas of Parlia- mentary methods, even if then. As to the "broad franchise," this, I think, is advisable, if only for the reason that it would prevent the possibility of whole- sale corruption at the elections; a contingency which I am given to understand would be by no means improbable if the franchise were more limited.
Resolution V. That the Executive Council of Ceylon should be so reformed that half the number. of its members shall be Ceylonese Elected Members of the Legislative Council, who shall be in charge of Departments." To this I do not agree. of Departments to sit in the Executive Council (analogous to the Cabinet), to be The proposal is in effect to create Ministers in charge elected from the Elected side (analogous to the Opposition). I am of opinion that' it would be most inadvisable to have as a member of the Executive Council of the Colony an Elected Member of the Legislative Council. I speak from experience of the Legislative Council of Jamaica, where such a proposal would have been unworkable and most undesirable, but where the Parliamentary sense was much more highly developed than it is in Ceylon. I would, however, agree, and it is possible that I shall later on propose, that Unofficial nominated Members from the Government side of the Legislative Council should sit upon the Executive Council, and probably as an alternative that there shall be members of the Executive Council who shall not even be members of the Legislative Council. the resolution as it stands I wholly disagree.
But with
Resolution VI-"That a proportion of not less than thirty-three per cent., increasing annually by two per cent. up to seventy-five per cent., of the higher appointments in Ceylon Civil Service and other branches of the public service should be filled by Ceylonese."
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That there shall be appointments of Ceylonese to the higher posts of the Ceylon Civil Service and to other branches of the public service I agree, and there are Ceylonese officers so appointed at this moment; and when officers prove by their merit that they are fitted for such appointments there will be no hesitation in appointing them. But that such appointments should arbitrarily be filled by Ceylonese up to seventy-five per cent., whether men fitted or not can be found, requires no argument from me to enforce my dissent from such a proposition.
Resolution VII.-"That there should be complete popular control of Municipal Councils and other local bodies in Ceylon, urban and rural, with elected Chairmen and elected majorities."
With this I disagree. As in political, so in Municipal and Local Board matters, the Ceylonese will require years of apprenticeship to understand their responsibilities. The gradual development of Municipal and Local Board govern- ment will educate the people to what is required of them, and proposals for the further development of these institutions are before me now; but to hand over those bodies to the people to manage for themselves at this juncture would be unwise and impracticable. It is by gradual education upon Municipal Councils and Local Boards that the masses in Ceylon will begin to understand political development, but at the present moment there is little such understanding amongst them.
The remainder of the resolutions require no comment from me.
I would add, in conclusion, that I am not opposed to the proposal for a moderate step in advance for wider representation in the Legislative Council, not because I think the conditions here urgently demand it, but because, since the infection of political reform from India has reached Ceylon (and so far as a comparison between the general enlightenment of the people of Southern Madras and the people of Ceylon is possible I conclude that Ceylon has the advantage). I believe it would be difficult to give adequate reasons for refusing some political advancement to Ceylon when a less advanced community in South India was shown to be about to reap all the benefits of a reforın scheme now under consideration.
As I have already remarked. I have under consideration a proposal for altering the constitution of the Legislative Council, but I am not yet in a position to set out my final proposal; nor shall I be until I have received the views of the various communities interested in the matter, and I do not propose to deal with the subject finally until I have been able fully to discuss it with those whose views should guide me in forming a correct conclusion upon so important a subject.
I have, &c.,
W. H. MANNING,
Enclosure 2 in No. 29.
Governor.
LIST OF DELEGATES TO THE CEYLON REFORM CONFERENCE, HELD ON 13TH AND 14TH DECEMBER, 1918.
1. Mr. K. Nater Eaiyer, Ceylon Indian Association.
Colombo.
2.
3.
Mr. Dadabhoy Nuserwanjee, Ceylon Indian Association, Merchant, Colombo. Mr. Daniel Joseph, Ceylon National Association, Planter, Matale.
4.
Mr. M. T. de S. Amerasakera, Ceylon National Association, Advocate, Colombo.
5.
Mr. C. C. A. Britto Muttunayagam, Ceylon National Association, Advocate,
7.
Mr. Lionel de Fonseka, Ceylon National Association, Barrister, Kalutara.
9.
8. Mr. D. R. Wijeyewardene, Ceylon National Association, Advocate, Colombo.
Mr. H. L. de Mel, Ceylon Reform League, Merchant, Colombo.
11.
Stanley Amerasekera, Chilaw Association, Planter, Chilaw.
6. Mr. S. T. Crowther, Batticaloa Association, Proctor, Batticaloa.
10. E. J. Samarawickreme, Advocate, Colombo.
12. E. B. Corea, Chilaw Association, Planter, Madampe.
19. Dr. J. A. E. Cores, Chilaw Association.
14. Dr. W. T. Samaraweera, Ceylon Reform League.
15. Rev. J. B. Mendis, Chilaw Association.
18. J. W. de Silva, Kalatura Association, Proctor, Kalatura.