CO882-(4-5) — Page 447

سلسة

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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growth of the habit, and for a long time they resisted its introduction to their people, until they were practically compelled to accept the poisonous drug. And now, not only is this vice destroying large numbers of the Chinese people but the conscience which once resisted the evil is silent, while the poppy is grown in its own country. The history of the opium trade shows unmistakably how rapidly this vice is calculated to spread, and though the evil may be small at present, it is a very dangerous beginning of what will be, if not prevented, a national calamity. These facts point out the danger of neglecting this matter in its early stages. We are compelled to infer that, unless the unrestricted sale of these drugs is dealt with at once, the habit will

gTOW more and more enslaving to the Sinhalese people year by year, and each year will make it more difficult to deal with. If the traffic with China had been dealt with when 200 cheats were exported from India, the evil might have been easily checked. But now the interests of millions are concerned, including the Chinese Government, the Indian Government, and the multitude of traders and vendors who are engaged in the trade. The matter is of immense difficulty. But in Ceylon the matter, if dealt with now, may be dealt with much more easily. Each year that the sale of these drugs is allowed to be unrestricted will see the people of the Island more and more enslaved under their influence, the vendors more and more unwilling to see that they have not a vested interest in the trade, the Government more and more involved and dependent upon the revenue received, and so the difficulties will be infinitely greater than those which exist at present. It remains only for me to point out what I am bound to consider the duty before us in view of these facts. First. It should be a first principle that, whoever else shall suffer, the Natives of the country, the men and the women to whom this Island is a homeland just as much as our Island in the far west is a homeland to us, shall not be allowed to suffer by the introduction of these evils. Secondly.-Acting upon this principle, we are bound to see that anything which tends to the moral and physical enslavement of the people shall be discountenanced and uncompromisingly condemned. Thirdly. No principle of self-interest, either on the part of the Government or of the individual vendors, should be allowed to make excuse for the introduction of an unwarrantable and demoralising habit. Fourthly. The people of Ceylon are entitled to the same protection from evils of this kind which we enjoy in the homeland; or, at least, ought to have the same protection as the Burmese people. I therefore support this resolution, first of all in the interests of the Native races of this Island. Gentle- men, this is your fatherland; let not vice and corruption have unrestricted license among your people. Let there not be introduced into your families and homes this new, unwarrantable, and destructive habit. I support, in the interest of purity and righteousness, and in the interests of a Government which professes to be based upon those principles. And, as a Christian man, I support it in the interests of those principles which our great Leader and Teacher has laid down. (Applause.)

The Chairman then put the resolution to the meeting, and it was unanimously

carried.

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THIRD RESOLUTION.

H. Sumangala, Buddhist High Priest, moved; "That the Sinhalese population of Ceylon strongly desire the restriction of the sale of opium and bhang, and the suppression of the existing Native licensed shops in Colombo and throughout the ** Island." In moving the resolution, the High Priest said-through the interpretation of Mr. W. P. Ranesingha-that opium and bhang were not known to the Natives of the Island, and were never used by them, till some years ago, when the drugs were introduced to Ceylon by the Malays. Now Sinhalese and others were contracting the habit, which was spreading widely. The health and peace of a man was destroyed by the abuse of these drugs. He had to speak something which might perhaps be unpleasant to many in that hall. It might be questioned, he said, why the sale of intoxicating liquors should not be prohibited. It was more detrimental to the population than even opium and bhang. The drinking of intoxicating liquors was prohibited by their Lord Buddha, and he thought it would be for the interests of the people if the taverns which were allowed by Government now were abolished and the Hale prohibited. This was the greater danger, and the sale of opium and bhang was the lesser danger. He made these remarks because it might be asked by outsiders, why should they take steps to prevent the lesser danger when there was a greater danger.

The Chairman (addressing Mr. Ranasingha): Kindly explain to the High Priest that one important difference is that, as he knows, the Sinhalese have been accustomed

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for hundreds of years to make intoxicating drink from their palm trees, whereas they have never made opium from the poppy.

The High Priest (resuming) said these destructive drugs-opium and bhang-were poisons, and they had been compared in their medical works to Ahipena, which was similar to the poison of a serpent; but, at the same time, according to their books, though poisonous, they were used in small doses as medicine with good effects, like many other poisons. When people abused their use, however, these poisons ruined their bodies and health, and sometimes propagated various diseases. These dangerous drugs were not made in Ceylon, but in other countries. As they were of danger to the people, the importation should be stopped. According to new regulations, the danger was increasing day by day, and, unless stopped, the people of the country would be ruined. The Buddhist priests, he said, had tried their best to prevent people abusing these drugs. He suggested that, as in Burma, the sale should only be allowed with restrictions under the Medical Department, and the drugs should not be sold to any person except in case of sickness. With these observations he heartily moved the resolution. (Applause.)

Mr. S. C. Obeyesekere seconded the resolution. He said: I have much pleasure in seconding the resolution just proposed. It expresses the strong desire of the Sinhalese for restrictions being imposed on the sale of the deleterious drugs of opium and bhang. There is not any one in the Island more competent, by learning, possession of local information, age, and the high esteem in which he is held by the Sinhalese population throughout the Island, to express their sense of the effect of the evils produced by the use of opium on them, than the learned and venerable High Priest. I am in perfect accord with what he has stated as to the baneful influence which the free use of the drug will exercise over the Sinhalese community. The relations of the Government towards the people should be paternal and not mercantile.

Whatever there appears to

be in it of a mercantile character should be in subordination to its paternal character. Perhaps a difficulty may be felt by Government on the score of a slight reduction of revenue which may result from acceding to the prayer of this meeting, but the con- sideration of the loss of a paltry Rs. 40,000 should not be permitted to operate as a bar to granting our prayer, particularly in view of the fact that the amount may with facility be raised by less objectionable means. No sacrifice can be too great to check the evil condemned—

“Who knows not Circe,

"The daughter of the Sun, whose charmed cup, "Whoever tasted lost his upright shape,

And downward fell into a grovelling swine."

The story of Circe's cup, perhaps, had its origin in a desire on the part of the ancients to impress on people the necessity of regarding with a loathing abhorrence the abuse of intoxicants, as well as the deplorably dangerous effects of their abuse in degrading and enslaving the mind. The determination of the nature of the animals to which the use of the cup metamorphosed the band of the followers of Ulysses is significant. May it not be possible that the contents of the fabled oup were prepared with some such drug as opium? In seriousness, I do not think that, when the righteous cause for which we are labouring is properly and fairly presented to Government, we need despair of success, but that it will allow all other considerations to be subordinated to the true welfare of the people. (Applause).

The resolution was then put to the meeting by the Chairman, and was carried unanimously.

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FOURTH RESOLUTION.

Barrister E. W. S. Senatherajah then moved, "That the Hindu population of Ceylon, strongly desire the restriction of the sale of opium and bhang, and the supression of the existing licensed shops in Colombo and throughout the Island.” Mr. Senatherajah, in moving the resolution, said: I have been requested to move the fourth resolution, and it is with great pleasure that I come forward to do so. I say that it gives me great pleasure to move the resolution, because I know that it is one which will meet with general approval by the public on whose behalf I am speaking, and as it is one of the truths of what it embodies, I have not, in my own mind, even the vestige of a doubt. This is the resolution which stands against my name: "That H 4