CO882-(4-5) — Page 215

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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Kirihami, of Magan-ela, owned Maganelakumbura, of two pelas and four kurunies. The field was sold; he used to go about in search of employment, and died in an abandoned hut in a patana.

And there were many similar cases which I could mention, where the people who owned fields died of starvation.

At the time the money rate for commutation was raised, the rate of yield was also raised. There had not really been any increase in the yield. Previously to 1864 the rate of yield assessed was fair, and the money rate also was fair. People yet have chenas, but they are too small; they are unable to cultivate large chenas; they do get chenas from Government now, but they have not means to cultivate then sufficiently extensively. There is not so much employment on estates now as there was. Many have gone to remote districts.

Boragolle Ganetirala, Marriage Registrar of Udapalata of Walapane, has always resided at Denabure. Previously to the time when the people depended on their coffee gardens they cultivated fields and chenas, and grew cotton and chillies and tobacco. They were in fair circumstances. Taxation was not heavy; there was no road tax either. The tax on a pela of paddy land was 28 cents. Afterwards they got profit from coffee and became more wealthy. Whilst in that state the commutation rate was increased, and they had to pay for a pèla from Re. 150 to Rs. 2. They did not complain then, although the produce of the fields was insufficient to meet the increased tax, because their coffee lands enabled them to pay. Gradually coffee failed and the people fell into poverty, the produce of fields being insufficient to pay the tax and support the people. Road tax also was raised from 18 fanams (2s. 3d.) to Re 1:50, and cotton and chillies were not so extensively cultivated as previously, as the clearing of forest for chenas was restricted. What they now get for chenas is not suited to cotton, tobacco, or chillies. In 1877, or about then, there was continual rain; one year they could not cultivate chenas, and for want of that crop they fell into great distress. the same time vigorous steps were taken to recover arrears of taxes by the sale of movables and the rents; crops of fields were sold. Gradually the people were becoming more pressed and reduced to more straitened circumstances. It was the failure of chenas in 1877 or 1878 that began the trouble. Thereafter they mortgaged their property to meet the taxes and debts. Hoping to save their fields, they borrowed money at heavy rates, and parted with their paddy worth Re. 1-25 to Re. 1-50 a bushel for 50 cents a bushel. Afterwards, they could raise no money; the fields were sold for the recovery of the taxes, and many of the owners left the district, whilst many who remained died either from starvation or from the effect of illness caused by insufficient food. I know that people died of starvation. Tettuwa is one whose name I can recollect this moment who died of starvation; also Rammenika and Kiriwante and Banda and Lat Etans.

At

Gallindegedara Punchirala, residing at Teripeha, says :-In 1877 there was so much rain that the chenas could not be fired, consequently, all were abandoned, and there was no chena crop consequently, from that day to this, there has been distress. The severe distress began three or four years ago. I speak of Medap láta. In some years the produce of field and chenas used to suffice for the people; in other years it did not suffice, as the fields were dependent upon rains. Some fields were sold for tax in my village. The people could not pay the tax because, whilst formerly people had coffee gardens, and were allowed chenas of 10 years' growth of jungle, when the coffee gardens failed and chenas were restricted to jungle of five and three years' growth, the produce did not suffice for payment of taxes. If Government allowed for four or five years the clearing of chenns in jungle of old growth, the circumstances of the people would improve. If the Bolag indéwala-ela were carried out it would be an advantage to the people, as it would admit of a large extent of land being cultivated; it would afford a permanent remedy for the distress as regards the whole of Medapaláta. I know that inany of the people whose fields have been sold have died for want of food.

It was because the rates under the 10 years' agreement were excessive that the fields had to be sold. The' rates now settled are fair. The nioney rate was originally 25 cents per pela, then Re. 1, then Re. 1:50 for the 10 years' agreement. The yield was over- estimated. My field, Wékumbura, of five pelas, was assessed at Rs. 7; it did not yield a crop of 70 bushels, but 40 bushels in a good season. When I came to commute merely told to sign. I did not know how much I had to pay until the Kórála came to collect the money.

Was

The rate

W. R. Weragoda, Vidané, says: The distress is all owing to the taxes. for commutation has been gradually increased from a fair rate to the excessive one. The excess is both in the rate of yield, in the extent of the land, and in the inoncy rate. The extent of land has been in some cases increased 50 per cent. The fields did not yield

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enough to enable people to pay the high rate of tax. Moreover, chenas being restricted to jungles of five years' growth, such land does not yield sufficient crop. fields should be restored, and we should be allowed to cut chena at the proper tine. Our paddy Kudarála died of starvation; his field was not sold. I cannot mention the name of any person who died after his field was sold.

July 13, 1889.

Punchirála, late Kórála of Uḍapaláta, says :--I was in office as Kórála from 1881 until 1884. I was previously Arachchi from 1866 till 1881. I did not hold office during the 18. 4d. commutation. I am about 65 years of age. To my recollection, the distress began after the introduction of the 10 years' commutation (1877). Before people depended on their coffee gardens they used to cultivate chenas extensively, clearing jungles of eight or ten years' growth, and they had their paddy lands. These chenas yielded good crops of Indian corn, karakkan, chillies, &c.; but the Crown afterwards claimed the land and sold it to be converted into estates. All was claimed except a small extent bordering the villages; but these chenas are not fertile because they have to be cleared after intervals of two or three years. their coffee gardens; but coffee also failed. The taxes were simultaneously increased; Then people depended on people had to borrow either seed, grain, or money to buy seed as well as grain for food, and gradually they became heavily involved. Those who had cattle sold their cattle to pay the taxes, others sold their movables to meet the taxes, and others sold some of their fields; but from 1878 to 1881, the people having become very much impoverished, were unable to pay the taxes at all, and they fell into arrear. Then the paddy fields were seized and sold by Government. Whoever had movables left had them seized and sold before the fields were sold. The headmen then in office, not foreseeing the mischief' that would arise, carried out their orders without question. I myself had to recover taxes and had to seize lands, and what I could not recover was deducted from my pay, &c. I resigned. The people whose fields were sold had to look out for employment wherever it was to be had, whilst some died from want of sufficient food, and of illness caused thereby, inasmuch as when they fell ill they had no means of procuring proper medical assistance. The fields, after being sold, if bought by low-country men or Moormen, were given out on ande share to others than those who were dispossessed.

I know Galagama Ganetirála died on the road; his field had been sold and redeemed. I think that the distress is the resu't of the gradual increase of the taxes, and of the gradual failure of all crops. The yield of paddy fields bas decreased from over-cultiva- tion, i.e., from constant cultivation; whilst the population increased the extent of arable land was not increased,

Rikiligaskada, July 14, 1889.

Juwanis Soysa says:-I have been residing in Walapane, Hanguranketa, and Uḍa Pussellawa for 30 years. When I first came and planted coffee in Walapa e I could' not get Sinhalese labour, because they had coffee gardens, and plenty of paddy and rice from their fields. Some had fields and coffee gardens, and some had coffee gardens only. Depression has gradually come on during the last 10 or 15 years, as coffee gradually ceased to be productive. Those who had only gardens to depend on at the outset borrowed from the people in the bazaars, hoping for good crops, until they became hopelessly involved.

Those who had only coffee gardens to depend upon were, I should say, about 10 per cent. of the population; of these rather more than half were low-country men-less than half Kandyans. Distress became severe eight or ten years ago. that time become impoverished, and what little they had left was sold for taxes. Many The people had by also left the district. And whilst when I first came no labour was available, because the people did not care to come to work, having no need to do so, latterly whole families came and settled on my cstates.

I know that many fields were sold for the recovery of the taxes.

How were

they to pay the taxes? The produce of the fields was not sufficient for their consumption. During the time the coffee gardens flourished the fields did, generally, yield sufficient for the food of the people. The fields became unproductive. In my opinion coffee died out owing to the soil being affected in some way, and I believe that the mischief, what- ever.it was, was communicated to paddy fields as well. There can be no doubt that the productiveness of paddy fields decreased gradually. It has done so during the last 15 years. 1 had no paddy fields at the time that the settlement was made in 1864. When

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