PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
ICO. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC. COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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representation from Burgher, Tamil, Mohammedan, Indian and European Members of the Legislative Council, and owing to the existence of this system in the past in Ceylon and its continuance in India, I doubt whether it will be practicable to abolish the system for some time to come. It must be borne in mind that in the discussion in the Legislative Council, members were unanimously in favour of the retention of the non-territorial electorates and the representation of minorities provided for in the present constitution.
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No. 48.
THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 11th December, 1922.)
(Confidential. B.)
MY LORD DUKE,
Ceylon, 21st November, 1922. I HAVE the honour to refer to paragraph 2 of Mr. Winston Churchill's despatch No. 455 of the 14th August, 1922,* in which he asked for a report as to the existing constitution and character of the Association known as the "Lanka Mahajana Sabha."
2. The Society in question (the name of which may be translated as Association of the People of Ceylon ") is mainly of a political character and
The Great Singhalese opinion alone. It is closely connected with the National Congress and expresses was inaugurated in September, 1919, at a meeting held in Colombo under the Chair- manship of Mr. F. R. Senanayake, who from that time onwards has been the President of the Association. At the meeting referred to, the inaugural speech was delivered by Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, the then President of the National Congress, who spoke on behalf of the Congress and alluded to an intention to estab- lish People's Associations all over the country. connexion that there are now several “Maha Jana Sabbas"-affiliated to the main It may be mentioned in this Society in Colombo-in different parts of the Island. Some of these consist of only a few members and are comparatively insignificant, while others have a fairly large membership. There is also a separate Tamil Maha Jana Sabha,” which is not affiliated to the Lanka Mahajana Sabha.
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3. I enclose a translation of the rules of the Association in question, and would invite special reference to Rule 2 and its sub-sections, which set out the objects of the Association. The Society is under the guidance of a large Committee, consist- ing of over 100 members (including several of the elected members of the Legislative Council who recently resigned their seats), with the following as office-bearers :---
President: Mr. F. R. Senanayake. Treasurer: Mr. A. P. Gunatilleke.
Honorary Secretary: Mr. J. E. Gunasekera.
Honorary Assistant Secretary: Mr. J. M. A. Wickramanayake. With a very few exceptions, the members of the Association are Sinhalese by nationality, and include in their ranks several political agitators.
4. The President, Mr. F. R. Senanayake, a wealthy landed proprietor, is a Barrister-at-Law residing at Colombo, but not in active practice. He is a staunchk Buddhist and, besides engaging in temperance activities, is a leading political agitator, taking part in all local political movements and devoting a large proportion of his income to such objects. He was arrested during the riots of 1915, but was afterwards released. Mr. A. P. Gunatilleke, the Treasurer of the Association, is a man of fair education and is possessed of considerable means. political agitator, and was sentenced to imprisonment for life in connexion with the He, too, is a riots, but was subsequently pardoned. Mr. J. E. Gunasekera, the Honorary Secretary, who, it may be mentioned, is of the same caste as Mr. Senanayake, is at present employed as Principal of the Mahabodi College, a Buddhist institution, while the Honorary Assistant Secretary, Mr. J. M. A. Wickramanayake (who is about 22 years of age) is a junior teacher at the Ananda College, Colombo. Both these individuals are highly interested in local politics, and the latter is also the Secretary of a body known as "The Colombo Temperance Society."
* 88866; not printed.
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5. Mention must also be made of two other prominent members of the Associa- tion, Mears. S. D. 8. Gunasekera and D. M. D. S. Abeynayake, both of whom have previously served as office-bearers. The former is a wealthy resident of Colombo and has practically the same tendencies as Mr. Senanayake so far as religion and politics are concerned. Mr. Abeynayake is a low-country Sinhalese about thirty years of age, who, after going through a course of training at the Government Training College, is now on the staff of Dharmaraja College, Kandy.
6. I may add that the Association publishes a quarterly Sinhalese journal entitled "Maha Jana Sangara," which contains articles relating to political matters in this Colony.
I have, &c.,
C. CLEMENTI,
Officer Administering the Government.
Enclosure in No. 48.
TRANSLATION OF
་
THE LANKA Mahajana SaBHAWA.
"
RULES passed at the General Meeting held on 11th February, 1920- 1. The Association shall be called "The Lanka Mahajana Sahabawa.” 2. The Association has been started for the purpose of ameliorating the general condition of the residents of Ceylon. The improvement of the welfare of the general public by working in respect of mutual help, economy, politics, etc., shall be the object of the Association.
Office.
The following shall be included therein:-
(1) Careful observation of defects and shortcomings in respect of the current laws, etc., of the country, and also of the wrongs resulting by working in accordance with these laws, and when such defects, shortcomings and wrongs do exist, to represent facts to Ceylon Government and also to the Government of England for the purpose of obtaining fit redress.
(2) The improvement of commerce, agriculture, manufacture, etc., and care- taking of these industries from harmful laws to be enacted in the country and also from unlawful interference by officials.
(3) Procuring and rendering assistance to works of patriotism, of good to
others, and of advancement of knowledge.
(4) Rendering assistance within lawful limits to those implicated in legal
proceedings at times considered necessary in securing aforesaid objects. (5) Collecting fresh subscriptions for securing any of the aforesaid objects when the funds of the Association are found insufficient or when the application of the funds of the Association for such purpose is con sidered improper.
3. The Office of the Association shall be in Colombo.
Members.
4.
5.
The members of the Association shall be of two divisions :- (a) Original members, and
(b) Members elected in accordance with these Rules.
Ladies, too, shall be
entitled to membership of the Association. Anyone desirous of admission to the membership of the Association shall intimate that fact by a written application to the Secretary certified to by two of the members of the Association. Such application on having submitted to the Com- mittee, the election shall be made by a majority of votes.
6. The Secretary shall notify the member of his election within one month from date of receipt of such notice, a year's subscription shall be paid, in default whereof his membership shall be cancelled.
Subscriptions.
7.
The annual subscription payable by a member is Rs. 2/- directly after election, and thereafter annually in the month of January in each year. paying at any time a sum of Rs. 50/- in advance shall thereafter be exempt from A member payment of further subscription. hindrance to the provisions in Rule 10.
Such payment, however, shall not be of any subscription in respect of the year in which he was elected-whatever may be the A member on being elected shall pay the date on which the election was made.
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