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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 882

4PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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not diminished, but has slightly increased, the Association confidently believes that a profitable traffic for a suitable railway to Badulia now exists, and that the development of tea planting will in a few years afford a greater traffic than that which was estimated by the Commissioners of 1886.

4th. That tea estates require large supplies of imported and manufactured goods and packages, and of mechanical appliances, and it is important that there should be a speedy and inexpensive means of bringing such requisites within reach of the estates. The planting of tea, which has been proceeding rapidly in these districts, already affords a promise of increasing traffic, as it is well known that tea estates require larger supplies of rice, &c., than are consumed on an equal area of coffee or cinchona. But it is certain that a much greater success and development of this industry would be ensured if railway communication were extended to Badulla. The area of tea estates in Ouvah has been very largely increased during the last three years.

5th. The Association is of opinion that a narrow gauge railway from Nanu Oya to Badulla would be of the greatest advantage to the province, and the Association desires to protest against an extension of the present gauge to Haputala, as being unsuitable to the amount of traffic, as involving very heavy and needless expen- diture, and as prejudicial to their hopes of obtaining a line to Badulla. 6th. The opinion that a good and sufficient railway of a narrow gauge could be made between Nanu Öya and Badulla at a comparatively small expense, is supported by all the best and most experienced engineers in the Island, and by Messrs. Rutherford, Mitchell, Mackay, Nowell, and other railway contractors. Mr. Prestage's offer to construct and equip such a line for about two-thirds of the estimated cost of a broad line to Haputala only, affords a further and satisfactory assurance to this opinion.

7th. Some of the objections urged against break of gauge have been shown to have no validity. Mr. Prestage has inspected the ground at Nanu Oya, and has stated that there is ample room for breaking gauge there.

The cost of trans- ferring loads of goods in Ceylon, as they are nearly all capable of being easily handled, would be trifling. Mr. Prestage states the probable working expenses of a narrow line at lower figures than those of the present broad line, owing to the much smaller proportion of dead weight on the former. As most of the profits on the traffic would accrue by carriage over the existing railway, the question of working expenses on the Ouvah section is not one of great

moment.

8th. The Association begs leave respectfully to urge that no further delay should take place in this matter, which is important in regard to the profitable working of the present railway system, to the development of the great material resources of this province, and to the introduction of many civilizing agencies which it needs.

9th. The Association, therefore, begs leave to ask that a survey for a narrow gauge line to Badulla, with such curves and gradients as may ensure due- economy in construction, may be undertaken as soon as possible.

The Right Hon.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies,

London.

I have, &c.

(Signed) G. E. OSBORNE,

Secretary.

COPY of RESOLUTIONS passed unanimously by the BADULLA PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION at a Meeting held on 29th June 1887.

I. That this Association cannot support any scheme of railway extension beyond Nanu Oya that does not provide for its further extension to Badulla.

II. That inasmuch as the costliness of broad gauge extension precludes all pos- sibility of a line on that gauge being carried to Badulla, this Association would object to its continuation to Haputala only.

III. That this Association would urge upon Government the advisability of adopting beyond Nanu Oya a narrow and cheaper gauge that that of the main line, in order that the next extension of our railway system may not stop short of Badulla, and that Government be asked to call for a survey and estimate for a narrow gauge line to that

town.

SIR,

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Enclosure 2 in No. 39.

From Hon. R. B. DOWNALL to the SECRETARY, Badulla PlantERS' ASSOCIATION.

I HAVE read the notice of resolution to be proposed at the meeting of your

June 21,-1887. Association to be held on the 29th instant with reference to railway extension to Uva, and would wish to offer a few remarks which I trust may be considered before the resolutions are passed.

Firstly. I would draw your attention to the resolution passed at the Planters' Association meeting held in Kandy on 17th February last. The Secretary of State's Despatch then under consideration not being considered final by the Government, and bis Excellency the Governor having replied thereto, on 9th April an informal meeting, at which your chairman was present, was held at Queen's Cottage, Newera Eliya, to consider the situation and hear the Governor's views on the question. At that meeting it was very clearly stated that extension short of Badulla would not meet the require. ments of Uva, and it was unanimously agreed, after discussing break of gauge and the question on all its bearings, that pending a reply to the Governor's Despatch, no further action should be taken. Your chairman was particularly asked if he agreed to this, and he gave his unqualified assent. On this ground alone I would urge that the time has not arrived when the resolutions of which notice has been given should be either considered or passed. Such action would be inconsistent in the extreme with our former pro- ceedings, and, moreover, it would be a want of courtesy to the Governor to pass such resolutions now, having given him clearly to understand that no further action could be taken pending the receipt of the Secretary of State's reply to his last Despatch.

Secondly. In dealing with the cost of broad gauge extension, I would point out that a memorandum setting forth estimates for construction on present gauge at a cost of 12,000l. per mile has been submitted to the Planters' Association, Kandy, and I would venture to suggest that the resolution adopted at the last meeting of that committee may well be acted upon by your Association. In view of the proceedings which have passed consideration of the memorandum was postponed, I may add, pending the reply of the Secretary of State to the Governor's last Despatch.

Thirdly. I would urge that your meeting on 29th is neither the proper time nor the proper place to discuss the third resolution. The receipt of the Secretary of State's reply to the Governor's last Despatch will be the proper time for such discussion; and not a meeting of your Association, but a public meeting representative of Uva will be the proper place. On the publication of the Governor's last Despatch and the reply thereto, I hope to arrange for a public meeting to be held in Badulla to consider the situation and decide on what future steps shall be taken to obtain railway extension. I hold most strongly that having carried the question up to the present point, the different Associations have done all that they either can or should do. On receipt of the documents referred to, action must be taken at a meeting representative of all classes of the community, not merely the planters, who form but a very small proportion of the landlords of the province, but the Chiefs of Uva, the sons of the soil, must be sum- moned to consider a question which concerns not their interests at the present time, but the interests and prosperity of the children and their children's children who may come after them. I hold that the Planters' Association have done all in their power; further action must be taken by a more extended representation, and a representation of those who really hold the permanent interests in the country.

will not now attempt to deal with any details of either of the resolutions; at a public meeting, such as I suggest, I shall be ready to discuss most fully every point alluded to, and I once more, in conclusion, urge most strongly on your Association that both on the grounds of consistency and of courtesy, and in the interests of future railway extension to Uva, the resolutions of which notice has been given, should be withdrawn for the present, and brought forward either in their present or amended form at a public meeting such as I have indicated. The resolutions, if passed on 29th, will most assuredly tend rather towards railway obstruction than railway extension to Uva.

I am, &c. (Signed) R. BEAUCHAMP Downall.

The Secretary, Badulls Planters' Association.

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