444
15357
SIR,
78
No. 66.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
(Confidential.)
Downing Street, 29th April, 1924.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatch of the 10th March* regarding the nomination of official members of the Legislative Council of Ceylon, under the Order in Councilt of the 19th of December last.
2. As soon as I learn that a Proclamation has been issued under Clause 4 of the Order in Council, bringing to an end the present Legislative Council, I shall be prepared to approach His Majesty with a view to the issue of instructions.for the appointment of the officers whom you propose as nominated members of the new Legislative Council. I shall be glad if you will inform me in due course of the date of your Proclamation in order that the necessary steps may be taken in the matter. If it should be necessary, His Majesty's instructions for the appointment of the nominated members by an Instrument under the Public Seal of the Colony can be communicated to you by telegram.
19063
No. 67.
I have, &c.,
J. H. THOMAS.
79
4. When the draft of the Ceylon (Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1823,* was being prepared the question of the allocation of these three seats amongst the Members of the European Community was considered, and it was thought that, in a matter which primarily concerned them and only remotely affected other communities, the European point of view should be adopted. It is incontrovertible that Europeans, if not unanimously, at least by a great majority, are in favour of retaining the seats under the descriptions which they bear at present, viz., European (Urban), European (Rural) and Commercial Electorates, and it is for that reason that the constituency of the Commercial Electorate has been retained in the Ceylon (Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1923.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 68.
Resolution referred to.
W. H. MANNING,
Governor, &c.
"This Association desires to bring to the notice of His Excellency the Governor and the Secretary of State that in the abolition of representation of special interests the seat allotted to the Lowcountry Products Association of Ceylon has been abolished, whilst that of the Chamber of Commerce has been retained contrary to the wishes of the majority of the present Legislative Council and His Excellency the Governor's own recommendation."
(No. 252.) SIB,
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street, 6th May, 1924.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 228 of the 31st March, 1924, § enclosing a copy of Resolutions passed at the last sessions of the Ceylon National Congress.
2. I request that the Ceylon National Congress may be informed that I have received these Resolutions.
6565
I have, &c..
J. H. THOMAS.
22404
(No. 283.) SIR,
No. 68.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 12th May, 1994.)
Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, 22nd April, 1924. I HAVE the honour to enclose copy of a Resolution passed by the Lowcountry Products Association of Ceylon at ita Annual General Meeting held on the 15th March, 1924, with reference to the absence of any provision in the Ceylon (Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1823,1 for the allotment of any seat to that Association and to the retention of the seat for the Commercial Electorate.
2. Under Head B Suggestion II-of my despatch of 1st March, 1922,|| I dealt with the course and result of the debate on the retention or otherwise of seats representing special interests which arose on this part of the motion moved by the Honourable Mr. James Peiris on 1st December, 1921; and, though with some reluctance, I submitted the views expressed by a bare majority of the Unofficial Members in favour of the abolition of these seats to your favourable consideration.
3. The Commercial Electorate is composed of Members of the Chamber of Commerce who are practically altogether Europeans, and it was for this reason that it was made clear by the terms of the Honourable Mr. Krisnaratne's amendment set out in Head B-Suggestion II-of my despatch referred to in paragraph 2 of this despatch that, while it was proposed that the Commercial Electorate should be abolished, the representation of the European Community in the Legislative Council was to remain unchanged.
No. 69.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
(Confidential.)
Downing Street, 12th May, 1924.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Confidential despatch of the 21st of January† regarding the scheme for the establishment of an Executive Com- mittee in Ceylon.
2. I note that in view of the opposition which you expect in the Legislative Council you consider that the proposal to establish an Executive Committee must fall to the ground, but I am glad to note that you are prepared to give a trial to the alternative scheme set out in the Duke of Devonshire's Confidential despatch of the 31st of Octobert under which one or two elected members of the Legislative Council would be appointed members of the Executive Council during the Governor'e pleasure, the funotions of the Executive Council remaining unaltered, such members ceasing to be regarded as elected members of the Legislative Council and being appointed nominated unofficial members of that Council. You will, no doubt, when the elections for the new Council have taken place, submit your proposals for one or more suitable appointments to the Executive Council.
3. I trust that it will not be found necessary as you suggest to reserve one of the three nominated unofficial seats in the Legislative Council definitely for a Kandyan, but that the Kandyans will secure adequate representation by the election of suitable members of their race in the provinces in which they are in a majority. It would. I think, be undesirable definitely to reserve either of these three seats for a particular community. These three seats should be employed for the appointment of members whose presence in the Legislative Council is considered desirable in the interests of the Colony as a whole.
I have, &c..
J. H. THOMAS.
* Nɔ. 62.
† Appendix 2.
* Bee No. 76. i No. 65.
* Appendix 2.
No. 8 in Eastern No. 138.
Appendix 1. + No. 63.
1 No. 49.
See No. 77.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
1111 Co. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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