29
267
MR. PEIRIS: Some time ago an excise scheme was brought forward which was opposed by the people on the ground that it would lead to an increased consumption of liquor.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: It was opposed.
MR. PEIRIS: Yes, by the people. Now, we have been given local option, and the result has been that in a number of districts the consumption has been reduced considerably, and in some places they are dry. In connexion with our electorate scheme and a brond franchise I should think the voting at these local option meet- ings could be taken as a test. Very often 75 per cent. of votes are required, and sometimes they get as much as 90 or 95 per cent. voting. We know that the people will vote at the elections.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: What is the particular form of drink?
MR. PEIRIS: Two kinds-arrack, that is a manufactured drink, and fermented toddy.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Is there a good deal of revenue involved in this? MR. PEIRIS: Yes.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: It is a big revenue.
MR. PEIRIS: Yes, and of course that will have to be made up if local option succeeds.
way.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: The revenue will have to be found in some other
MR. PEIRIS: Yes.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM: The reformed council will deal with that.
MR. PEIRIS: That will solve itself.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I suppose you foresee that.
MR. GOLLAN: It has always been a possibility.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Is there any other point that anybody wishes to
raise? We have had a very interesting conversation.
MR. JAYATILAKA: On the question of franchise, if illiterates are to be excluded it will mean the exclusion of a very large class who own their own properties.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: You might have a property qualification with a certain degree of illiteracy and a certain degree of property without illiteracy.
MR. JAYATILAKA: That is what we say.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM: Will you permit us to see the scheme before it is finally adopted?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: You are asking me more than I can promise. I know your views. If I felt in any doubt as to what your views would be on any point I have no doubt you would tell me. I should not in the least mind letting you see the scheme before it is finally adopted, but I cannot say more now because I do not know when it will be ready.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM: May I ask, is it likely that the Prince of Wales will visit Ceylon when he visits India in the winter?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I am sure he would like to. We shall kill the Prince
of Wales if we do not take care. He has had a tremendous buffeting.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM: There is good shooting.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I am sure he would like to go and I am sure you would like to see him.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM: Yes.
{
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: I hope we shall arrive at something which will give satisfaction in Ceylon and get a move on in some way, although I think in many ways you have been a very fortunate and very progressive.community, yet I have no doubt it would be a good thing to give more influence to popular power.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM: We also ask that our Governor should come from the public. We consider that most important.
THE SECRETary of State: I observe that.
SIR. P. ARUNACHALAM: That is without any reflection on past Governors.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Or the present Governor.
SIR P. ARUNACHALAM : Yes.
(The Deputation withdrew.)
31783
No. 9.
MINUTES OF DEPUTATION TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. (SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES), FROM THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF CEYLON.
Colonial Office, Whitehall, S.W.1, Thursday. 24th June, 1920.
VISCOUNT MILNER was accompanied by-
MR. H. C. GOLLAN, K.C.
MR. G. E. A. GRINDLE, C.B., C.M.G.-
The Deputation consisted of-
MR. F. A. HAYLEY.
SIR JAMES THOMSON BROOM.
MR. HERBERT BOIS.
MR. B. COLES.
MR. F. E. MACKWOOD.
MR. H. D. GARRICK. SIR STANLEY BOIS.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Mr. Hayley, I have seen several deputations lately, and I have a general notion as to the shape of Ceylon, the size of the population, and all that sort of thing, so will you address yourself as to a person who is ignorant, but not wholly ignorant, of the subject.
MR. HAYLEY: I might, with your Lordship's leave, first of all point out that Sir Stanley Bois accompanies us as a member of the Ceylon Association in London, and assents to our proposition. The rest of us come from the European Association, which, as you know, was formed in 1918 with a view to focussing the opinion of the Island. Our Association, I think I may say, apart from gentlemen in the Government service who necessarily would not join in an Association of the kind, contains the very large majority of Europeans in the Island, of all classes and occupations. I think I can say with confidence that we represent the whole of the unofficial European population of Ceylon. In October, 1918, the Associa- tion appointed a committee generally to discuss and consider, and to report to the Association, the position with regard to constitutional reforms, which we understood were then being suggested. That committee drew up a report which, after adoption by the Association, was sent to His Excellency the Governor, and I think was transmitted to your Lordship.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Yes, I have seen it.
MR. HAYLEY: That report constitutes the carefully considered opinion of our Association, and we claim thereby of the whole unofficial Europeans of Ceylon. We wish your Lordship to consider the points which we make in that report, and, with your Lordship's permission, I would like to draw attention particularly to one or two of the more important features of it, if your Lordship has before you a copy of the report. We set out in the first instance the position of the Sinhalese. The time has come when they should be given a greater share perhaps
in the Government of the country by an extension or alteration of the Legislative and Executive Councils. We point that out quite shortly in paragraph 4. If I might deal with the latter first, the Executive Council, we think that as at present constituted it is rather too large. We deal with it in paragraph 11 of the report, and we suggest that Government Agents of Provinces should not be included amongst its members. Their official acts may at any time come up for discussioų or consideration in the Council itself, and under some of our local ordinances there are appeals of a quasi judicial nature to the Executive Council from acts which in many cases may be those of the Government Agents, and it seems per- haps fairer, and more in accordance with justice, that they should not sit on the Board
THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Do all the Agents sit or only some of them? MR. HAYLEY: Only two, the Western Province and the Southern Province, not necessarily the others, think.
1HE SECRETARY CF STATE: Who are the members of the Executive Council now?
C
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