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Our fitness must first be shown. It is not enough to assert over and over again that we are fit: the assertion must be proved, and proved not to the satisfaction of ourselves and of all intelligent men, but to the satisfaction of those who have the power to grant the privilege we ask for. You and I are fit-absolutely fit; but the privilege is not for you and me alone. What about the great mass of our countrymen? Of course, we are a highly civilized people; our civilisation is of ancient date, and we had cities and governments and learning when the British were running wild and unclad in the forests of southern Britain. But it is equally true that in the eyes of our rulers we are not civilized, or we are only partially civilized. Our ideas, our habits, our customs are different from theirs, and have for them mainly an ethnological interest. They are willing to treat you and me, whom they know, as comparatively civilized beings; but, again, it is the mass for whom they have to legislate. It is useless to tell them that the masses have had representative institutions from times ancient beyond estimate our Gansabhawas and our Nagarams; we are not asking for a glorified Gansabhawa when we demand an enlarged, repre- sentative Council, framed on modern Western lines.

What our rulers will probably require to be sure of is whether we in the mass know what we want and are qualified to use it well. Are our municipal institutions a success? Are we able to conduct an election or a debate without the introduction of personalities? Can we distinguish between private and public interests, between private and public disputes? Do we realize that private interests must always be subordinated to the duties of the State? Are we ready to give rather than to take, to sacrifice ourselves and our money for the good of the community or the State rather than to seek our personal aggrandisament, to serve the State rather than to be served by it? Have we initiative and capacity in any emergency? Can we be trusted in questions of honour and confidence? Are we physically fit to be of assistance to the State in critical times? Can we maintain a proper self-respect without either servility or the blatant assumption of a so-called "independence."

Such are some of the questions we shall have to face. It is a great thing that there are so many of us regarding whom these questions can satisfactorily be answered. But it seems to be the primary duty of our nationalists and political leaders to insist that, not only individually, but A community, we should have so learned to govern ourselves that we are qualified to govern others.

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letter, dated 15th October, 1917, which has been received from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, enclosing a copy of a memorial addressed to me in August last by that body urging the necessity for more adequate recognition and representation of mercantile interests in the Legislative Council.

3.

2. I caused the memorialists to be informed that I was not disposed to put forward a suggestion for an increase in the European representation in Council; but they now desire that a copy of the memorial should be forwarded to you.

I would point out that the matter is entirely in the hands of the memorialists themselves, as they can easily secure the election of their own nominee as Urban Member of the Legislative Council when a vacancy occurs. question to increase the proportion of European members in the Council, and I am It is obviously out of the therefore unable to support the proposal put forward by the Chamber of Commerce.

I have, &c.,

JOHN ANDERSON,

Governor, &c.

SIR,

Enclosure in No. 4.

Colombo, 15th October, 1917.

I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith copy of a petition addressed to His Excellency the Governor by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and would ask you to be good enough to request His Excellency to transmit the same to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

The petition, which deals with the question of the representation of the mercantile community in the Legislative Council, has, as you are aware, been presented to His Excellency the Governor, and it is now desired that it may be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

I have, &c.,

A. DUNCAN,

Secretary.

67630

No. 3.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE

(Received 23rd November, 1917.)

(Confidential.)

SLR,

Ceylon, 18th October, 1917. WITH reference to your cipher telegram of the 25th August, 1917,* relative to the memorial addressed to you by the Ceylon Reform League on the subject of the administration of the Colony, I have the honour to transmit, for your informa- tion, a copy of the report of the Commission † appointed by me to inquire into and report upon the existing provision for, and machinery of, local government in the rural areas of the island in regard to matters of sanitation, education, and com- munications, and to advise as to what steps it is desirable to take for their improvement.

2. Legislation on the lines proposed by the Commission is being drafted.

59164

No. 4.

I have, &c.,

JOHN ANDERSON,

Governor, &c.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 3rd December, 1917.)

(No. 660.) SIR,

[Answered by No. 5.]

Ceylon, 27th October, 1917. WITH reference to Lord Crewe's despatch No. 258, of the 14th June, 1910,‡ relative to certain changes (which have since been effected) in the European repre- sentation in the Legislative Council, I have the honour to transmit a copy of a

* 42908: not printed. "VII., 1917.--Local Government in Ceylon": not reprinted.

No. 16088: not printed.

The Honourable

The Colonial Secretary.

To His Excellency

Sir John Anderson,

-

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Knight Grand Cross of the Most Dis- tinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander-in- Chief in and over the island of Ceylon with the dependencies thereof.

May it please Your EXCELLENCY,

THE Chairman and Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, repre- senting the mercantile interests and commercial finance of the island, beg to approach Your Excellency in connexion with the disadvantages under which these interests labour through their lack of representation in the Legislative Council.

Your Excellency is doubtless aware of the fact that from the year 1833 until 1910 the mercantile community was represented in the Legislative Council by a nominated member, but that their direct representation ceased to exist when the elective principle was adopted and provision was made for seats in Council for two European members representing the urban and rural communities in the place of the three members who in previous years had represented the mercantile, planting, and general European communities. in the constitution of the Legislative Council a memorial, addressed by the Ceylon At the time when this change was effected Chamber of Commerce to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, was drawn up expressing the greatest surprise, consternation, and dis- satisfaction at the proposed reduction of the number of representatives and the withdrawal of the Chamber's privilege of nomination. This dissatisfaction has never ceased to exist, but has increased from year to year, more particularly since the outbreak of war has rendered the protection of mercantile interests and capital increasingly difficult.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

11117 CO. 882/10

| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TÒ

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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