542
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
|ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON]
C. 73230/30 [No. 29].
146
No. 94.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 3.37 p.m., 17th March, 1930.) TELEGRAM.
17TH MARCH. Following from Ceylon Head Kangany's Association :--
Begins: This Association representing 700,000 Indian labourers in Ceylon' are alarmed at the unjust discrimination in political franchise proposals made by His Excellency the Governor and tentatively accepted by your Lordship. Con- ditions requiring declaration of animus manendi and the renunciation of the Indian Government's protection and of rights and security guaranteed by the existing local labour ordinance(s) are humiliating and effectively prevent the exercise of the franchise by very large proportion even those which Donoughmore Committec sought to enfranchise and reduce voting strength considerably and representation of Indian labour population to a nullity. Association strongly object to the imposition of any conditions or restrictions further than that recommended by Donoughmore Committee and earnestly beg the British Government not to tolerate this novel discrimination against subjects owing allegiance to the same flag. --Ends.
C. 73230/30 (No. 30].
No. 95.
THE GOVERNOR to TRE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 3.59 p.m., 17th March, 1930.)
TELEGRAM.
17TH MARCH. Following from Lanka Maha Jana Sabha :-
Begins: This Sabha greatly perturbed by the implication(s) in Parliamentary answer that British Cabinet entitled to go back upon the accepted offer and alter the new constitution re the Indian franchise. Prays that there be no breach by yielding to the Indian threats sacrificing interests of the people of this country. -Ends.
C. 73230/30 [No. 27].
SIE,
No. 96.
COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE. [Answered by No. 101.]
Downing Street, 26th March, 1930.
I AM directed by Lord Passfield to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th March* transmitting a copy of a telegram received from the Government of India on the subject of the position of Indians in Ceylon under the proposed new Constitution. Before coming to any decision on the representations of the Government of India, Lord Passfield must discuss the question with the Governor of Ceylon. Full con- sideration will be given to the views of the Government of India before the preparation of the final draft of an Order in Council embodying the new Constitution.
2. At the same time I am to make the following general observations on the views expressed in the telegram from the Government of India.
3. The agitation against the proposals submitted by the Governor of Ceylon in his despatch of the 2nd of June lastf has been somewhat of a surprise to Lord Passfield. The Secretary of State for India will remember that the Governor's proposals were submitted to the Cabinet; that the draft of Lord Passfield's proposed reply was in the hands of the Secretary of State for India for some time before it was sent. At that time the views of the Government of India could readily have been obtained, and it is hardly fair to accuse the Colonial Office of omitting to give the Government of India an opportunity to make representations on the Governor's proposals. Whilst it is
** No. 90.
+ Cmd. 3419.
147
for the Secretary of State for the Colonies to consider such questions as the effect in Ceylon of the grant of unrestricted franchise to Indian labourers in the Island, it is, of course, no part of his duty to communicate with the Government of India
4. Lord Passfield cannot resist the conclusion that the agitation against the Governor's proposals is inspired to some extent by misapprehension of the details of these proposals. In particular, he must protest against the suggestion of the Govern- ment of India that the Governor's reference to Africa in his despatch reveals the He considers that intention to place Indians in Ceylon under special disabilities. perusal of the Governor's despatch will show that Sir Herbert Stanley was anxiously seeking a solution of the franchise difficulties which, while satisfying Ceylonese opinion, would prevent an outbreak in Ceylon of that racial ill-feeling, the occurrence of which in other parts of the world he deplores. It is not fair to suggest that his proposals It was clearly the duty of the involved relegation of Indians to a lower status. Governor to draw attention to the fact that Ceylonese opinion in general was strongly hostile to the immediate general enfranchisement of large numbers of persons who have no permanent association with Ceylon. It was moreover not unnatural that the Ceylonese should press strongly for the imposition of reasonable restrictions on the enfranchisement of persons not native to or domiciled in the Island. Failure to recog- nise the strength of this feeling would obviously have prejudiced the acceptance of any scheme of constitutional reform. This hostile feeling on the part of the Ceylonese is not likely to be relieved by the impression that the Indian population, following the example of their representatives in the Legislative Council, will in future hasten to invoke assistance from India whenever their views are not accepted by their elected Ceylonese colleagues in the Legislative Council
5.
I am to take this opportunity of transmitting to you, for the information of the Secretary of State for India, a copy of a telegram* received from the Governor of Ceylon conveying the strong protest of the Ceylon National Congress against any attempt to modify the proposals regarding the Indian franchise which were contained in Lord Passfield's despatch of the 10th October.†
C. 73230/30 [No. 28].
No. 97.
I am,
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. [Answered by No. 98.]
(Confidential.)
SIR.
&c.,
H. R. COWELL..
Downing Street, 27th March, 1930.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the India Office enclosing a copy of a telegram received from the Government of India on the subject of the position of Indians in Ceylon under the proposed new Constitution. I have also to enclose a copy of the reply§ addressed by my direction to the India Office, and to request that you will inform me as soon as possible of your views on the representa- tions of the Government of India.
2. I shall be glad to have your observations on the suggestion in the last part of the telegram from the Government of India that failure to accept their views will involve danger of the prohibition of emigration of unskilled labourers from India to Ceylon.
3. While due weight must be given to the aspirations of the Indian population
in Ceylon, the views of the Ceylonese population on the question of the enfranchisement
of Indians must naturally receive the fullest consideration, especially in relation to the prospect of the acceptance of the constitutional reforms as a whole.
4.
You will, no doubt, consider whether it is possible or desirable to attempt to obtain some estimate of the effect which the implied threat of the stoppage of Indian emigration to Ceylon may have on the attitude of responsible Ceylonese towards the franchise proposals.
I have, &c..
PASSFIELD.
* No. 93.
+ Cmd. 3419.
I No. 90.
§ No. 96.