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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

SIR,

80

Enclosure in No. 38.

THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF CEYLON,

Chamber of Commerce Buildings,

Colombo, 18th November, 1919. THE European Association of Ceylon desires to have the opportunity of placing before Your Lordship its views with regard to the proposed changes in the Constitution of this Colony, and for this purpose requests your Lordship to be so good as to receive in London a deputation of members, appointed by its council, some time in March or April of next year.

The names of the deputation will be submitted to Your Lordship in due course through His Excellency the Governor of Ceylon.

The Right Honourable

73369

The Secretary of State for the Colonies,

Downing Street, London.

(No. 25.) SIR,

No. 39.

I have, &c.

A. DUNCUM,

Secretary.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.

Downing Street, 10th January, 1920,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 842, of the 3rd December, transmitting a letter from the European Association of Ceylon, and to request you to inform the Association that Viscount Milner will be prepared to receive a deputation, if they so desire, after his return to this country.

4902

No. 40.

I have, &c..

(for the Secretary of State)

L.. S. AMERY.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 28th January, 1920.)

[Answered by No. 41.]

Ceylon, 7th January, 1920.

(No. 9.) MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour to transmit a letter, dated 16th December, 1919, and two further communications dated 23rd December, which have been addressed to you by Sir P. Arunachalam, President of the Ceylon National Congress, a session of which was held in Colombo in December last. Copies of the resolutions, etc., referred to in the letters are also forwarded.

MY LORD,

I have. &c.,

W. H. MANNING,

Governor, &c.

Enclosure 1 in No. 40.

Ceylon National Congress, Colombo, 18th December, 1919.

I HAVE the honour to inform you that a Session of the Ceylon National Con- gress was held in Colombo on the 11th, 12th and 13th December, presided over by the undersigned.

It was attended by over three hundred delegates, including lady delegates, from Associations in Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna, Galle, Panadura, Kalutara, Matara, Negombo, Chilaw, Kegalle, Ratnapura Kurunegalle, Badulla, Nuwara-Eliya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, representative of all classes and interests in Ceylon.

* No. 88.

81

The Colombo Associations included the Ceylon Muslin Association, and organi- zations representative of Indian commerce and labour.

2. I beg to forward herewith for Your Lordship's favourable consideration copies of the resolutions which were unanimously adopted.

The first resolution on Constitutional Reform was moved by the Honourable Mr. P. Ramanathan, K.C., C.M.G., M.L.C., elected member for the educated Ceylonese.

3. I enclose three copies of a telegram* I have this day despatched to Your Lordship, a copy of which I have also forwarded to the Local Government for the favour of transmission to you.

The Right Honourable

Lord Viscount Milner, G.C.B., G.C.M.G.,.

I have &c..

P. ARUNACHALAM, President.

His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.

RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE CEYLON NATIONAL CONgress at its FIRST SESSION HELD IN COLOMBO ON THE 11th, 12th and 13TH DECEMBER, 1919. (Resolution 1.-Reform of the Constitution and Administration.) THIS Congress declares that, for the better government of the Island and the happiness and contentment of the people, and as a step towards the realization of responsible government in Ceylon as an integral part of the British Empire, the Constitution and Administration of Ceylon should be immediately reformed in the following particulars, to wit:--

1. That the Legislative Council should consist of about 50 members, of whom at least four-fifths should be elected according to territorial divisions upon a wide male franchise and a restricted female franchise, and the remaining one-fifth should consist of official members and of unofficial members to represent important minori- ties, and the Council should elect its own Speaker as President.

2. That the Legislative Council should continue to have full control over the budget, and there should be no division of reserved and transferred subjects.

3. That the Executive Council should consist of the Governor as President assisted by official and unofficial members, of whom not less than half should be Ceylonese unofficials chosen from the elected members of the Legislative Council. With the view of affording them administrative experience, such Ceylonese members should be made responsible for the administration of Departments placed in their charge.

4. That the Governor should be one who has had parliamentary experience and training in the public life of England, the better to fit him to discharge the duties of a constitutional ruler and to help in the smooth working of the political machinery under the altered conditions.

5. That there should be complete popular control over the administration of local affairs in the provinces, districts, towns and villages, by a wide extension throughout the Island of Municipalities, Urban and Rural District Councils and Village Councils, with elected Chairmen and substantial majorities of elected members.

6. That a proportion of not less than fifty per cent., rising up to seventy-five per cent.. of the higher appointments in the Ceylon Civil Service and the other branches of the public service should be reserved for Ceylonese.

(Resolution II.—Local Government.)

That the Local Government Bill now before the Legislative Council and the Municipal Councils Ordinance 6 of 1910 should be amended in conformity with Resolution I. 6, as follows:--

(a) Municipalities should be extended to all the principal towns of the Island and should have a four-fifths elected majority of members and elected Chairmen.

(b)

That the Rural District Councils provided for under the Local Govern- ment Bill should have the same elective constitution as Urban District

* No. 87.