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ཀ ། ། ། །
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
CO. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIĊ-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH~NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
angered the Tamils by throwing up his original suggestion that nine seats should be allotted to the Tamils and suggesting instead that the allocation should be deter- mined by a Commission? The reason why he threw up his original allocation allotting nine seats to the Tamils is that he saw at the last minute that then the real Government would fall into the hands of the Tamils, who could control the House by threatening either to go to the side of the minorities or to the side of the Singhalese. That is why the Hon. Mr. Peiris wanted the seats allotted by a Commission from outside, in which case the majority of the territorial seats would be allotted to the Singhalese, and the Tamils would be left in the lurch. Does not the Hon. Mr. Abdul Cader remember that the Hon. Mr. Peiris stated in his speech that the fears of the minorities were unfounded, and did he not dramatically point to the Hon. Rev. Mr. Boteju and say that the Hon. Rev. Mr. Boteju's case was one in which a Christian clergyman was returned by the Buddhist electorates! Once the Hon. Mr. James Peiris puts his scheme through the National Congress at the next election of members will probably influence the Singhalese electorates to return certain Moslems, who are now so prominently identifying themselves with the National Congress. This will be done for the second object which the National Congress has in view. ing already secured a majority on the territorial basis in the New Council, the Hon. Mr. James Peiris will bring a second motion asking that the Minorities' representatives be done away with, and he will dramatically point out to the Moslem members returned by the Singhalese electorates as an example of friendly unity of all the classes in the Island. Will he not then succeed in getting his object, and I ask my co-religionists what their position will be when there is only the general electorate left? Can they ever hope to return a Moslem member who will really represent the Moslem interest! These are facts known to any person who knows even the elements of politics, and that is why many Moslems who are long-headed have looked upon this free gift of participating in the General Electorate with suspicion.
Then hav-
This being the state of affairs, and specially as a crisis is staring us, the Moslems, in the face, why should not the Hon. Mr. Abdul Cader or the conveners of the meet- ing pass a definite resolution that it is to be distinctly understood that the Mohammedans are not going to give up communal representation?
In the Meeting referred to there was no such resolution. All that the Hon. Mr. Abdul Cader stated was: "We will never lose our special representation by accepting inclusion in the general electorate. This is only a pious expression of opinion. Further, I understand when Mr. C. M. Yoosoof put the point there were only cries of "No" from the audience. But there was no definite statement apparently from the chair, if this one point is made clear, without any hedgings all Moslems will see eye to eye.
Further some of the members congratulated themselves that it was due to their efforts that the Moslems were included in the general electorate. This concession has also been given to the other minorities, namely, the Indians, the Burghers, the Kandyans, and the Europeans. Do those speakers say that these other minorities have also got their concession owing to their efforts!
I take this opportunity to refer to one matter, namely, the uncalled for refer- ence by Mr. S. M. Ismail to the large and representative Meeting held at Galle under my presidency, and he calls it a disorderly meeting, evidently on hearsay. That is not correct. As regards the praise of the National Congress by Mr. Ismail, in the words of the Right Hon. Mr. Asquith, we will "wait and see.'
"
Since writing this letter I notice a reply to my letter referring to the Meeting held at Galle has been published in your paper signed by M. Sheriff Cassim, who, curiously enough, had a very friendly conversation with me on the 6th February at my office, and made no reference to the letter which appeared over his name dated the 4th of February.
In reply to his letter I may state shortly that if the said letter was signed by the law student who is, by the way, Mr. Sheriff Cassim's own brother, I would have expected him to have signed as "M. Shums Cassim" and not as M. S. Cassim. AB regards the rest of the letter the main portion only corroborates what I stated. namely, that only Mr. Sheriff Cassim and Mr. Wadood resigned, because Mr. Sheriff Cassim states that I will come to know the number of people who have resigned at the next General Meeting, meaning that pressure has been brought to bear since on some of the members to resign. But these efforts, I am sure, will come to nothing.— Yours. &c.,
A. C. M. ABDUL CADER,
Colombo, 8th February, 1922.
14986
(No. 223.)
No. 5.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street, 7th April, 1922.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 94 of the 8th of March,* enclosing a Memorial from Mr. A. C. M. Abdul Cader in connexion with political reform in Ceylon, and to request that you will cause the Memorialist to be informed that the resolutions contained in the Memorial will receive attention when the general question of representation in the Legislative Council is considered.
I have, &c.,
WINSTON S. CHURCHILL.
17012
No. 6.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 10th April, 1922.)
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Ceylon, 22nd March, 1922. I HAVE the honour to enclose copies of two resolutions passed at a public meeting of the Muslim residents of Jaffna held at that town on the 14th January last in connexion with the question of constitutional reform.
2. In view of the resolution passed by the Legislative Council on the 10th December, 1921, to the effect that the question of the allocation and distribution of seats in territorial electorates should be referred to a Committee of the Council, I do not think that it is necessary, at this juncture, to do more than forward the resolutions which accompany this despatch, since I presume that if you agree to the suggestion of the Legislative Council as to the appointment of a Committee for the purpose mentioned above, you will direct that the Muslim residents of Jaffna be informed that their case will no doubt be in due course considered by such Committee.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 6.
W. H. MANNING,
Governor, etc.
RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY A PUBLIC MEETING of Muslims at Jaffna ON 14th January, 1922.
1. "That this Meeting is of opinion that there is no difficulty in the creation of Mohammedan Electorates for the election of Mohammedan representatives, and strongly protests against the representation of the Mohammedan Community by nominated Members."
2 "That the number of seats allotted to the Mohammedans by a resolution passed at a Meeting of the Legislative Council, on the 10th December, 1921, is utterly inadequate.'
C 2
Proctor, &c.
* No. 4.
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