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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
54
that they have been denied what they are entitled to under the principles of British rule by those who have been entrusted with the application of those principles and that it is their duty to press for their rights.
The circumstance that the difference of treatment that I have alluded to is having a very demoralizing effect upon the bulk of our people, is one of my main reasons for addressing you. Even those who would have accounted for it by the belief that the application of different principles by various branches of His Majesty's Government is natural in the case of a Coalition Government, will be perplexed by the liberal treatment accorded to Egypt by the Colonial Office.
I may point out that it would be useless to tell the people of Ceylon that the new Constitution will be an advance in the path of political progress, not merely because the advance is so slight and is outbalanced by the increase of the Governor's powers, but mainly because the relative position of Ceylon has been altered to her prejudice by Ceylon being placed, in the general revision of consti- tutions that has been started, behind colonies and dependencies which had hitherto been on the same or a lower stage of political progress.
The people of Ceylon have felt the humiliation of their political position quite as keenly as the people of India, and circumstances had so arranged themselves as to raise very high their hopes of emerging therefrom. The disappointment has been correspondingly bitter. The bitterness has been enhanced by the recollection that the same thing happened on the occasion in which the Legislative Council was last reformed. The people subsequently learnt, when a Blue Book was pub- lished, that the unexpected disappointment was due to strong and unfair opposition on the part of the then Governor and Colonial Secretary.
Comparison of the reforms proposed for Ceylon with those granted to India is inevitable. It cannot but aggravate the feeling of soreness in which the adminis- tration of martial law in 1915 left the great bulk of the people, and undermine the influence of those who have counselled moderation and patience.
With reference to the statement in paragraph 4 of your letter that it is im- possible to avoid nomination in the case of certain communities, I beg to point out that that need not prevent the grant of an elected majority. The addition of such nominated seats to a Council in which there is an elected majority cannot affect either the object desired by the Secretary of State of bringing about popular control over the Administration or the position of an executive which is intended to be so controlled. The prayer of the people in this respect can be substantially complied with without departing from the policy of having a small Council and without disturbing in the slightest degree the proportions of unofficial representa- tion intended by the Secretary of State. It can be done by a substantial reduction in the number of official members. The official block being no longer necessary a reduction would be a great saving of the time of several officials for useful purposes. As regards the statement that the other communities will not be prejudiced by the grant of special representation to the Kandyan community in view of the smallness of that representation, I beg to say that the prejudice to the other com- munities is the ordinary result of communal representation. But the deputation is as much concerned with the prejudice to the Kandyan community itself, which
is serious.
I beg to point out that the Governor has absolute control over his Executive Council, and the concession asked for is, therefore, a small one. From the point of view of the people, especially in the light of experience in 1915, it is important that that Council should include members whose presence there will mean that the popular view and necessary facts will be placed before the Governor by men in whom the people have confidence. I respectfully submit that its importance is greater than that of having "the most suitable unofficial members" from the point of view of the Secretary of State.
I earnestly beg that sympathetic consideration be given to the representations that I have felt it my duty to make on behalf of the Ceylon Reform Deputation in respect of the matters dealt with in your letter, and that the whole scheme may be reconsidered.
I am, &c..
E. J. SAMARAWICKRAME.
43238
55
No. 23.
COLONIAL OFFICE to MR. E. J. SAMARAWICKRAME.
Downing Street, 20th September, 1920.
SIR,
I AM directed by the Secretary of State to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st August,* on the subject of the Reform of the Constitution of Ceylon.
2. While Lord Milner is aware that the reforms do not go so far as the Ceylon Reform Deputation would desire, he holds the opinion that they do form a real advance in the direction of giving greater popular control over the administration.
3.
He regrets that the deputation do not appear to concur in this view, but he fears that there would be no advantage at present in discussing the matter in detail; and while he has already informed the deputation that he contemplates that after a reasonable interval proposals for amendment of the Ceylon Constitu- tion should be put forward and carefully examined, he can hold out no hope of reconsideration of the scheme until some practical experience has been obtained of its working.
4. As regards your reference to the powers of the Governor, I am to point out that the provisions proposed for governing the Governor's powers are taken without material alteration from the Government of India Act.
61912
No. 24.
I am, &c.,
G. GRINDLE.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 21st October, 1920.)
(Confidential.)
MY LORD,
Ceylon, 27th September, 1920. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatch of the 23rd August, 1920,† dealing with the position under the reformted Constitu- tion of an unofficial member of the Executive Council who is also a member of the Legislative Council, and favouring me with your views of the relations which should exist between unofficial Executive Councillors and the Government.
2. In reply, I have to state that I clearly understand the position as set out in your despatch, and following the procedure I adopted in another Colony in precisely similar conditions, I shall endeavour to frame Government proposals in such a manner as to have the support of the Unofficial Members of the Executive Council when such proposals are submitted to them in the Legislative Council.
I have, &c.,
W. H. 'MANNING,
Governor, &c.
62793
No. 25.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 23rd December, 1920.) [Answered by No. 26.]
(Confidential.)
Ceylon, 2nd December, 1920.
MY LORD,
I HAVE the honour to transmit a letter, dated 25th October, 1920, which has been addressed to you by the Honorary Secretaries of the Ceylon National Congress, enclosing copies of three resolutions passed at a special session held in Colombo last
* No. 22.
No. 20.