CEYLON.
CORRESPONDENCE
RELATING TO THE
ADMINISTRATION OF CEYLON.
183
1919
38 The Governor
19
January 10 (Reo. Feb. 10) !
Transmits letter covering resolutions passed at · National Conference respecting constitutional reform.
32
ཐ
39906
29 Ditto
Confidential
February 7 (Rec. Mar. 10)
Tartunite
Presidential 34 of copies address and the resolutions passed at the Ceylon Reform Conference. Enolones also list of delegates.
30. Ditto
816
May 17 (Roc. June 14)
Submits proposals for constitutional 40
reform.
(No. 399.)
SIR,
91
Ditto
Secret
May 18 (Rec. June 14)
Indicates views of various bodies re
garding constitutional reform, and submits proposals with explanatory remarks. Suggests that he and the Attorney-General should proceed to England to discuss the scheme generally.
44
89
Sir R. E. Stubbs
July 8
Memorandum on proposals for cousti
tutional reform.
60
88 To the Governor
Secret
August 28
66
Accepts the Governor's offer to come home to discuss the scheme for con- stitutional reform.
84
Colonial Office
Confidential
October 15
66
Minutes of proceedings at deputation from the Ceylon Reform League, the Ceylon National Association, and the National Conference of Ceylon on constitutional reform in Ceylon.
85
The Governor
785
:
October 20 (Rec. Nov. 15)
78
38
To the Governor
1046
November 28
Transmite copy of a petition request. ing constitutional reform from the Lanka Mahajana Sabha Society.
Requests that the senders of the com
inunication addressed by the Lanka Mahajana Sabha on the subject of constitutional reform should
79
be
informed of its receipt.
87
Bir P. Arunachalam, Telegra.m
President of the
December 16 (Rec. Deo. 24)
79
Reports resolutions passerl.
Ceylon National
Congress
No. 1.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE
(Received 10th August, 1917.)
[Answered by No. 42303.*]
Ceylon, 4th July, 1917. I HAVE the honour to forward a memorial addressed to you by a newly established society called the Ceylon Reform League, on the subject of the administration of the Colony
2. The committee of the League, as you will see from the list of names attached to the memorial, contains the names of gentlemen whose position in the community entitles them to be heard with respect, but I cannot think that they have duly con- sidered the present critical position of affairs in the Empire. If they had done so I am sure they would, with their well known loyalty, have refrained from embarrassing His Majesty's Government by pressing on their attention at such a moment so revolutionary a programme. Ceylon is but one, if a highly important one, of many constituent parts of the Empire, and, on considering such far-reaching changes as those proposed in the Constitution and administration of Ceylon, His Majesty's Government cannot obviously confine their attention to the purely local bearing and effects of such drastic changes. That there is here pressing need for improvement in regard to the highly important matters of education and rural or local government is unquestionable. I appointed a Commission to inquire into these matters last year, and have only recently received their report, which is now in the hands of the printer, and I hope at an early date to be in a position to take up its active consideration.
3. In regard to the other matters dealt with in the memorial, in view of what I have already said I refrain from any comment unless you desire an expression of my views.
4. In justice, however, to the officers of my Government, I must say, with reference to the last sentence of paragraph 5 of the memorial, that the responsible gentlemen who have signed it must have been just as ignorant as the officials of the acuteness of the feeling that led to the disturbances of 1915, otherwise I am sure their loyalty would have led them to warn the Government of what was impending
88
The Governor
844
December 8 (Rec. Dec. 29)
Forwards letter from European Asso
ciation Asking deputation to received in March or April.
79
I have, &c.,
JOHN ANDERSON,
Governor, etc.
1934
89
To the Governor
25
January 10
440
Requeste that intimation may be given to the European Association that deputation will be received if they so desire.
80
Enclosure in No. 1.
The Right Honourable
1
40 The Governor
January 7
41
To the Governor
101
***
(Rec. Jan. 28)
February 6
Forwards copies of correspondence covering resolutions of the Ceylon National Congreak.
80
Requests that Sir P. Arunachalam be informed that his communications of the 10th and 23rd December have been received.
84
Walter Hume Long, M.P., LL.D.,
Colombo, Ceylon, 20th June, 1917.
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for the Colonies, London
RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR,
I HAVE the honour to inform you that, in response to a general feeling that the system of Crown Colony administration, now over a hundred years old in this island, has long outgrown its usefulness, the Ceylon Reform League has ber
• Not printed.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
CO.
Reference :-
882 /10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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