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THE SECRETARY OF STATE: They have been more liberal to education lately. MR. MOONEMALLE: They have been, but I do not think it is quite sufficient. We want a University; we want higher education; and we want a regular system from the lower school which will have a roadway to the University.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: What schools have you? After the elementary school what is the next step?
MR. MOONEMALLE: We have a vernacular school which would be the village school where a child is taught his own language. Then we go to the Anglo-Vernacular school where both languages are taught.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Would that be a district school generally !
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Maintained by the Government or partly maintained
by the Government ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Maintained by the Government, or if run by some institution or private means there would be a grant given by results.
is the High school in all important towns.
Then, of course, there
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: And the Kandyan Institution at which you yourself were educated is still higher ?
Your
MR. MOONEMALLE : Yes, that is what is called a secondary school. lordship will find in the Census Report of 1891 the author says that a Ceylon boy generally leaves off his education where the English boy begins. All our best men can only point to a sort of second-rate education.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: You want a University?
MB. MOONEMALLE: I think so.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: There is nothing of that kind yet!
MR. MOONEMALLE: No. We are having a University College built now, but I venture to suggest that in a short time they will be clamouring for a University. Then, my lord, I should say we want technical education. We are sadly deficient in these matters which make for the progress of a community. Our boys live the same sort of life till they grow old and they cannot compete on equal terms with the outsider who comes and settles in their midst, because the outsider is better put to it. I think technical education would be a great thing.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: What are these outsiders who come in upon you, are they artisans or merchants ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Artisans and traders.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: The industry is conducted by outsiders to some extent ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: And traders ?
MR. MOONIMALLE: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: What are they, low-country Sinhalese ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Low-country Sinhalese.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Indians ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes, Indians. Then with regard to agriculture, of course
we are carrying on just as our ancestors did 1,000 years ago. There, too, we want more specialist education. There is a School of Agriculture which was started three or four years ago, but that is not sufficient. We want a more comprehensive sort of system.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Where is that?
MR. MOONEMALLE: At Kandy.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: There is a School of Agriculture at Kandy? MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes. Then with regard to land settlement, of course the question is an old one, but where the peasants are concerned I would ask your lordship to bear in mind that where a man has settled in a centre and wishes to extend he ought to be given easy terms so that he may be happy in his own centre and not leave it. What has happened lately is that most of our peasants have thought
it better to sell up their rights and go out to some other place.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: They are selling, are they?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes, they have been.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: To strangers ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: To strangers, where they find it rather difficult.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Is there much land now not cultivated which could be cultivated?
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MR. MOONEMALLE: Heaps, all over the north centre; there are thousands
of acres. The Government now is opening a railway from Maho Station and are working into Trincomalee and Batticaloa.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: That will open up more land for cultivation ? MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: But there is plenty of uncultivated land?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Really good land!
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes, mostly Crown land.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I think I quite understand your case, but if there
is anything else that you wish to say I am here to listen. One question about
language. The language is the same of Kandyans and other Sinhalese ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes,
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: The Tamil language is quite different ? MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Otherwise your language is the same. literature, everybody would read the same books?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes.
As regards
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: And the newspapers which would be read by one man would be read by another if he was educated ?
MR. MOONEMALLE: Yes. Of course there are a few provincial dialects that are peculiar.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I suppose in every country you have provincial dialects, but they do not amount to more than in this country?
MR. MOONEMALLE: No.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: The Scotsman, the Devonshire man, and so on. MR. MOONEMALLE: Oh, yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Are you going back to Ceylon? MR. MOONEMALLE : Yes. I am booked for the 3rd July. Madawela crosses to France to-morrow.
My friend Mr.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: How long have you been here ? MR. MOONEMALLE: Since 1st May. We have had a pleasant time. THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I am glad to hear it. I am discussing all these matters with the Government, and I shall continue to do so. I daresay it will take some little time before we can get anything settled. I think you have put your case before me very clearly.
MR. MOONEMALLE: Thank you.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I am not in a position to make any declaration or promise at this time.
MR. MOON EMALLE: Quite so. I am sure you will bear our case in mind. THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Yes. You have presented a very full statement of your case, If there is anything more you want to put before us you can do so.
MR. MOONEMALLE: Thank you, there is nothing more.
The Deputation withdrew,
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