CO882-(3-4) — Page 358

། ༴། ་། ག །

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

C.O. 882

4PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE 'BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC. |COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

38

the continuance of such a practice, and he would bring forward a motion on the first practical occasion with respect to the receipt of proxies at the meetings of this Associa- tion. Mr. Wall then left his motion in the hands of the meeting, asking them to take the words of the motion as he read it to them, and as they had it in their hands, and not to take the interpretation of these words made by others for an object. He did not in bis motion say what other means were to be adopted; he did not think it was for them to say what means should be taken to recoup the revenue for the loss arising from the abolition of the food taxes; he simply condemned the present state of affairs, and he hoped they all knew how heartily and truly they could and should join in doing that. A long discussion followed on the following amendment to Mr. Wall's motion :— "That this Association is unaware that the natives of Ceylon complain of hardships imposed on them through the paddy tax, and are unable to recommend any change to Government. They consider that the present import duty on rice is the simplest way of raising revenue from all classes of the community."

Mr. Wall, in reply, referred first to the question of commutation, which had been raised by one of the speakers. In a very large district, the name of which he had for- gotten, he spoke from memory of the contents of one of a large number of replies sent to the Grain Commission, a very large portion of the whole paddy was now in suit in con- sequence of an attempt for four years to enforce the commutation tax. The commutation question was one of those things which look to many minds, to most minds at first sight, one which can be most simply and easily disposed of; but the fact was, it was imprac- The result in this and in other cases was that the land ticable; it had been proved so.

In the second place, he had been was in suit and for sale, for the reduction of the tax. asked, in the discussion which ensued on his motion, what means he proposed to supply His reply the deficiency which would be caused by the removal of the paddy taxes? was, he had already fully explained his position; be proposed nothing. If he had had other means to propose for making up the 300,000l. he doubted very much whether he should have laid his scheme before the Pianters' Association. He did not consider that he was bound to bring in any alternative scheme of raising revenue to show them that And the present system was radically bad and could not be too strongly condemned. this was all be asked them to do. He wanted to commit them to nothing, save the wholesale condemnation of an iniquitous system. If a wrong existed it should be righted; nothing could interfere with that rule. It was asked, did he expect Govern- ment to lose that 300,000l. a year! His reply was, that he had not said in any way that the taxes were too heavy and should be reduced; but what he did say and believe was that they were most unjustly and unequally divided. He could lay a scheme before that day, but that was not the subject which this meeting was called to consider, and it would not be fitting to introduce it. In regard to what had been said as to the frequent con- demnation of these taxes having done no good, he could only explain that the people, like the eels, had no voice in the matter, and those who skinned the eels had no feelings. And those who had themselves condemned the practice and the system had only been successful in getting it put out of sight, not done away with. Out of sight, he supposed, out of mind. He was astonished, he must confess, to tind men who knew so well as those in this room must do, the evils of the paddy taxes, standing up in the way they had done that day, and refusing to vote for this motion, which embodied simply that condemnation so universally meted out to it by everybody who knew anything of it. As to what had been said of the apathy of the people being the cause of the decay of agriculture, the minutes of Sir Henry Ward would give the information wanted on this point. They would find therein described how Sir Henry Ward visited the same place year after year and found it dwindling down to greater insignificance every time, until at up the last he found the last remnant of the village in the bed of the tank, trying to lick last drop of water in the mud. It was not the apathy of the people that had to answer for the present condition of things, but the apathy of the Government, and their ignorance of the wants of the country.

In order to meet the views of some supporters of the general position taken up by the opponents of Mr. Wall's motion, the amendment was altered, and made to run simply as follows:-

"That this Association is of opinion that any alteration of the present paddy tax would be impracticable and inadvisable.'

The amendment in this form was carried by a large majority.

39

No. 4.

THE EARL OF CARNARVON to GOVERNOR SIR J. LONGDEN, K.C.M.G.

(No. 236.)

Downing Street, September 17, 1877.

SIR,

I HAVE received Sir W. Gregory's despatches, noted in the margin, upon the subject of taxes on food in Ceylon.

1877.

No. 16,

shall postpone the consideration of this matter until I am in possession of the report No. 15, 9 Jan. of the Commission which has been appointed to consider this question, but I have no doubt your attention will be at once given to the whole subject, which is perhaps the 19 Jan. most important at present affecting the government of the colony.

I transmit to you a paper which I have received from Mr. T. B. Potter, M.P. for Rochdale.t

No. 5.

(Signed)

I have, &c.

CARNARVON.

THE EARL OF CARNARVON to GOVERNOR SIR J. LONGDEN, K.C.M.G.

(Confidential.)

Downing Street, September 17, 1877.

SIR,

WITH reference to my despatch, No. 236, of the 17th September‡ I have the honour to acquaint you that I shall be glad to receive as early as practicable any in- formation respecting the result at which the Commission inquiring into the taxes on food is likely to arrive.

It is probable that without making any direct inquiry it will be possible to furnish me with this information.

No. 6.

(Signed)

I have, &c.

CARNARVON.

GOVERNOR SIR J. LONGDEN, K.C.M.G., to THE EARL OF CARNARVON. (Received November 26, 1877.) (Confidential.)

MY LORD,

Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, October 23, 1877. In reply to your Lordship's confidential despatch of the 17th ultimo,§ I have the honour to state that the Grain Tax Commission has not yet made its report, but 1 enclose herewith a copy of the Draft Report drawn up by Mr. Birch, the Chairman of the Commission. The Report has been submitted to the Members of the Commission, and will probably be adopted by the majority though strongly opposed by one or two members.

2. It is to be remembered that the Commission is not made up of official members only, but includes a powerful native and commercial element, entirely independent. The members are :—

1. Lieutenant Governor Birch.

2. The Queen's Advocate.

3. Sir M. Coomara Swamy, member of the Legislative Council, representing the Tamil

Community.

4. Mr. De Alwis, the member of the Legislative Council, representing the Sinhalese

Community.

5. Mr. H. Dias, a leading barrister and landowner, now acting as a Judge of the

Supreme Court.

6. The Maha Mudaliyar J. C. Pereira, a native landowner.

7. The President of Dumbara, Mr. Dullewe Loku Banda, a large native landowner.

8. Mr. Dickson, Goverment Agent of the North Central Province, an officer who

is thoroughly acquainted with the native land customs.

9. Mr. G. Wall, an English merchant who has taken up the question very strongly.

Nos. 1 and 2.

↑ No. &.

+ No. 4.

E 4

No. 5.