343
70
VII. Term of Council.
The duration of the State Council under the proposed
should be reduced to three years.
New Constitution
As the motion was not seconded no further debate was allowed. That the term of office of members of the Reformed Council should be five as at present instead of four as proposed by the Commission.
Ayes.
10
Noes. 14
Declined to role. 3
VIII. Responsible Government.
Note.-The Honourable Mr. T. B. Jayah withdrew the following motion standing in his name :-That in the opinion of this Council a statutory guarantee should be given for the establishment within a decade of full responsible Government.
C. 53429/28/8 [No. 23].
No. 40.
I have, &c.,
H. J. STANLEY,
Governor.
CHAMBER OF SHIPPING OF THE UNITED KINGDOM to COLONIAL OFFICE.
28, St. Mary Axe, London, E.C.3, 19th December, 1928.
Constitution of Ceylon.
DEAR SIR,
I AM desired on behalf of those who attended the Deputation to you on the above subject on Friday the 14th instant to thank you for your courtesy in receiving them and for promising to consider the points dealt with in the memorandum* which they had the honour of presenting to you. The representatives of the commercial interests do not wish to reiterate unnecessarily the fears which they expressed regarding the protection of British industry and commerce in Ceylon generally and the Ports and Harbours of the Island in particular, but would simply observe that these are very real.
With regard to the possibility of forming a Port Trust, to which you were good enough to refer, they think that this would be warmly welcomed by the commercial community of Ceylon.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
71
Enclosure in No. 41.
Legislative Council of Ceylon,
Gialle, 18th November, 1928, In view of a possible misunderstanding that might be created in the mind of Your Excellency and of the Right Honourable The Secretary of State for the Colonies regarding the views and attitude of the territorially-elected Sinhalese Members of the Legislative Council in connection with the recent debate on the question of manhood suffrage, I beg to submit for your earnest consideration the following facts:-
1. That most of us used our utmost endeavours for several days to bring about a satisfactory settlement and proper understanding on the grant of an effectual limited franchise to the ever-increasing number of non-domiciled dumb-driven recruited labourers, and other foreigners in our midst.
2. Had we succeeded in these attempts we would have given an unqualified vote
in favour of manhood suffrage to the permanently settled inhabitants of this Island.
3. On the failure of all attempts outside the Council, and even at the last moment in the Council itself, to avert what we, in common with very large majority of the people of Ceylon, consider a real and grave menace to the Ceylonese, especially the Kandyans and the proper classes in the Low-Country, we were obliged to vote in favour of the amendment of the Honourable Mr. E. R. Tambimuttu, Member for Batticaloa District, imposing a literacy test, for the purpose of preventing the swamping of the electorates by non-domicileri persons having no interests in the welfare of the country or, as stated by the Commissioners themselves, no abiding interest in the Colony.
4. Our real attitude was indicated in our speeches, viz, if we succeed in our endeavour to grant to non-Ceylonese only a limited franchise. then we strongly support an unrestricted franchise for all Ceylonese above the age of 21 years, but, if we are out-voted and defeated in our attempt, as we actually were in Council, then for the purpose of limiting the number of non-Ceylonese voters, we are obliged to vote in favour of the device of a literacy test, at least until such time as we can by legis- lation restrict the ever-advancing tide of immigration and recruited labour into this country.
In conclusion, Sir. I believe I am voicing the sentiments of, at least, many of my territorially-elected fellow members of Council in the above statement to which I crave the indulgence of favourable consideration by Your Excellency when submitting your report to the Right Honourable The Secretary of State for the Colonies.
I am, &c.,
C. W. W. KANNANGARA,
M. L. C. Galle District.
Yours, &c.,
H. M. CLEMINSON,
General Manager.
C. 53429/28/9 [No. 8].
C. 53429/28/1 [No. 34].
No. 41.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 24th December, 1928.)
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Queen's House, Colombo, 5th December, 1928. WITH reference to my Confidential despatch of the 21st November, 1928,† regarding the debate in the Legislative Council on the report of the Special Commission on the Constitution, I have the honour to confirm my Confidential telegram of the 28th November, 1928,‡ a copy of which is enclosed.
2. I also enclose, for your information, a copy of a letter which I have received from Mr. C. W. W. Kannangara, who represents the Constituency of the Southern Province (Western Division) in the Legislative Council.
I have, &c.,
H. J. STANLEY,
Governor.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
No. 42.
INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
[Answered by No. 45.]
India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W.1, 27th December, 1928. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India to transmit, for the informa- tion of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of a confidential letter received from the Government of India relating to the report of the Ceylon Reforms Commission. It will be observed that for the reasons given in paragraph 2 of their letter, the Government of India ask that they may be given an opportunity of making representa- tions in the event of any proposals involving differential treatment between Ceylonese and non-Ceylonese British subjects being made in connection with the franchise or other recommendations of the Commission.
2. Viscount Peel trusts that Mr. Secretary Amery will be able to meet the wishes of the Government of India in this matter.
I am, &c.,
E. J. TURNER.
Not printed here.
+ C. 53429/28/1 [No, 24]: not printed.
(No. 30.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
IALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |