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Councils, with a substantial majority of elected members and an elected unofficial Chairman; and the qualifications for members and voters should in the Urban and General District Councils be not higher than now required in the Local Boards; and in the Rural Districts there should be adult suffrage and the members should not be required to possess a knowledge of English nor to own landed property of the value of more than Rs. 300.
(c) That Village Communities (Gansabhawas) should be extended through- out the Island, should continue to be elected on adult suffrage and should have a four-fifths majority of elected members and an elected Chair- man, with full control over the administration of village affairs subject to the guidance of the Local Government Board referred to in the next paragraph.
(d) That the Local Government Board provided for in the Local Govern- ment Bill should consist of not less than two-thirds majority of members elected by the Municipalities, District and Village Councils and should have an unofficial President appointed by the Governor; and its powers should be restricted to the allotment of grants-in-aid to District and Village Councils and to the supervision and guidance of those bodies in the discharge of their duties, with a view to give them the benefit of centralized experience and specialist knowledge and of independent inspection and audit and to ensure the indispensable minimum standard of efficiency without detriment to the development of local initiative and autonomy.
(Resolution III.-Taxation.)
This Congress is of opinion that the present system of taxation is unsatis- factory and its incidence inequitable, and urges on the Government the appoint- ment of a Commission to undertake a comprehensive revision of the taxation with a view to lighten the burden that falls heavily on the masses.
(Resolution IV-Education.)
1 That in view of the vital importance of education and of the inadequate provision now made therefor, this Congress is of opinion that a much larger pro- portion of the public revenue than at present should be set apart to provide adequate funda, increasing every year, for the vigorous promotion of all branches of public education.
2. That there should be universal compulsory elementary education through out the Island up to the age of 14 years.
3. That having regard to the poverty of the masses of the people and the decline of indigenous industries and agriculture, there should be established in the Island an efficient system of scientific, technical, industrial, agricultural and commercial education.
(Resolution V.—A Ceylon University.)
money
1. This Congress, recognizing the importance of an efficient and well-ordered system of higher education for the national welfare and adopting the words of the late Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, that " spent on higher education is the best of all possible national investments," deplores the neglect of higher education in this Island by the Government and the failure to establish the long promised University College, and is of opinion that the Ceylon University, which has been long asked for, should be established without delay to systematize and stimulate the energies now dissipated in various institutions for general and professional education, to promote higher literary and scientific educa- tion and research, and to be a centre of intellectual life and culture combining the highest thoughts and ideals of the East and the West.
2. The Congress is further of opinion that Colleges on the lines of the proposed University College should be established by the Government in important provincial
towns.
(Resolution VI.-Food Supply.)
This Congress is of opinion that vigorous and effective steps should be taken by the Government to increase the production of food crops in the Island and deplores the slackness of the Government in taking adequate steps in this direction, which has made the inhabitants dependent chiefly on India for their food supply and is subjecting them to grave hardship and suffering consequent on the restric- tions placed by the Indian Government on the export of rice to Ceylon.
83
(Resolution VII.—Labour.)
This Congress is of opinion that the conditions of labour in Ceylon should be brought into conformity with the requirements of section 427 of the Peace Treaty, and that the Labour Laws of the Island and the draft Immigrant Labourers Ordinance published by the Ceylon Government in July, 1919, should be accordingly amended by (a) The elimination of all provisions which do not fully recognize that labour is a form of Social Service and that the labourer's life and well-being are of greater importance than any material wealth.
(b) The immediate repeal of the penal clauses which subject men and women to imprisonment at hard labour and to fines for breaches of civil contract and other acts which are not offences under the ordinary law.
(c) The abolition of child labour under 12 years.
(d) The provision of compulsory education for children under 12 and of half time education for children from 12 to 14.
(e) The fixing of a minimum remunerative wage by a Wage Board appointed for each district and including representatives of the Government, the employers
and the labourers.
(f) The regulation by the Board of the hours of labour, so as to provide a liberal allowance of rest and recreation to the labourer.
(g) Provision for the care of enceinte women and infants.
(A) Provision for securing good working and living conditions to the labourer and facilities for prompt inquiry into and remedy of his grievances.
(i) Recognition of the right of association of all workers.
(Resolution VIII-Anti-Asiatic Legislation in the Colonies.)
This Congress desires to record its protest against the passing of such legis- lation as the Anti-Asiatic Legislation of South Africa, as tending to discourage Imperial unity and to create unfriendliness among the subjects of the British Crown.
(Resolution IX.)
This Congress authorizes the following gentlemen to wait on His Excellency the Governor and to submit for his favourable consideration the resolutions of the Congress on Constitutional Reform, viz., Sir P. Arunachalam, Messrs. M. B. A. Cader. C. P. Dias, Francis de Zoysa, C. Gnanasakaram, P. B. Godamune, J. W. Ilangakoon, D. B. Jayatilaka. A. St. V. Jayewardene, A. F. Molamure, James Peiris, H. J. C. Pereira, Ex J. Samerawickrame, H. A. P. Sandarasagara, F. R. Senanayake, and G. A. Wille.
(Resolution X.—Executive Committee.)
This Congress appoints as its Executive Committee for the ensuing year the under-mentioned persons and authorizes them, inter alia, (1) to revise as may be cessary the rules of the Congress and (2) to nominate three or more persons as its ..elegates to submit personally to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and to the British Parliament and people the demands of the Congress on Constitutional Reform and on the other matters set forth in the above resolutions and to take all measures necessary for the realization of those objects :-
1. Mr. Geo. E. Abeyewardene, 19. Mr. T. B. Jayah,
2.
3.
15
D. L. E. Amerasinghe,
M. A. Arulanandan,
4. Sir P. Arunachalam,
Mr. C. E. Corea,
20. D. B. Jayatilaka,
A. St. V. Jayewardene.
E. W. Jayewardene,
A. F. Molamure,
James Peiris,
93
21.
"
M. H. Jayatileke.
22.
5.
23.
6.
E. T. De Silva,
24.
99
35
7.
72
J. W. De Silva,
25.
11
8.
•
W. A. C. De Silva.
26
E. W. Perera,
9.
"
Armand De Souza,
27.
Dr. E. V. Ratnam,
10.
31
Francia De Zoysa,
11.
11
A. V. Dias,
12.
Harry Ellawala.
30.
11
13.
C. H. Z. Fernando.
31.
14.
P. B. Godamune,
32.
17
15.
D. J. Goonetilleke.
33.
""
16.
Dr. C. A. Hewavitarne,
34.
++
35.
18.
M. Cassim Ismail.
38
19
+1
17 Mr. J. W. Ilangakoon,
28. Hon. Mr. A. Sabapathy,
29. Mr. E. J. Samerawickrame,
H. A. P. Sandrasagara.
F. R. Senanayake.
Peri Sunderam.
Crossette Tambiah,
A. A. Wickremasinghe,`
D. R. Wijewardane,
G. A. Wille.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
IT CO. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO |
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