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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

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C.O.

882/10

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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This

18. The memorialists would respectfully demand the removal of the restriction which the Order in Council has imposed upon the choice of electors by insisting that a candidate for any constituency should reside within its electoral area. artificial interference with the rights of voters is opposed to the principles of popular government, while in a small country like Ceylon, no real practical benefit to the people concerned can be urged in its defence. On the other hand, circumstances may be easily conceived in which the restriction can be detrimental to the interests of the electors. At the interview referred to above, His Excellency the Governor admitted that it should not be applied to the three constituencies into which the Western Province has been divided, and undertook to remove it at the earliest oppor- tunity so far as those constituencies were concerned. A majority of the present Council, constituted as it is, have declared themselves against this restriction, which is based on the unwarranted assumption that the electors are unable to exercise their vote with intelligent discrimination for their own good.

19. The National Congress has in all its representations to the Government on the question of Constitutional Reform regarded the reconstitution of the Executive Council as essential as the reform of the Legislative Council. It has always main- tained that the enlargement of the Legislative Council, even on the most liberal lines, would not mean satisfactory progress towards the goal of self-government, unless it were accompanied by such changes in the Executive Council as would in reality associate the representatives of the people with the Government. The memorialists deem it scarcely necessary to labour this point, inasmuch as the Government has already acknowledged the principle by appointing two unofficials as members of the Executive Council. The memorialists would therefore earnestly commend to your consideration the demand of the Congress that half the members of the Executive Council should be chosen by the Governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elected for territorial divisions, and that such members should be in charge of Departments. This step the memorialists consider to be of the utmost importance, as it will give the Ceylonese such training and experience in administration as will qualify them in due time to bear the burden of full Responsible Government.

20. In conclusion the memorialists desire to place before you the following resolution which was passed at a Session of the Congress held in December, 1921.

"This Congress demands that the Government do publish in Ceylon their pro- posals for the reform of the Constitution so as to afford the people of this country ample opportunity for expressing their views on such proposals before their adoption by Government.'

The memorialists earnestly press upon you the necessity for publishing the scheme of reform that the Government may draw up in order that the public may have an opportunity of making their representations upon it before it becomes law.

21. The memorialists append hereto all the resolutions passed by the Ceylon National Congress on Constitutional Reform. (Vide Appendix H.)

And your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever prav.

H. J. CHAS. PEREIRA,

President.

M. A. ARUL ANANDAN, M. T. DE S. AMEBASEKERA,

Honorary Secretaries. {

t

On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Ceylon National Congress which consists of the following:--

1. M. A. Arul Anandan, B. A. (Cal.), Advocate, Hony. Secretary and Treasurer,

Ceylon National Congress, Colombo.

2.

8.

M. T. de S. Amerasekera, LL.B. (Lond.), Barrister-at-law, Hony. Secretary,

Ceylon National Congress, Colombo.

J. A. C. Attygalle, Proctor, Ratnapura.

4. C. Ariyanayagam, Proctor, Vice-President, Matale Association, Matale.

5. W. E. Bastian, Merchant, Colombo.

6. C. E. Corea, M.L.C., Vice-President of the Ceylon National Congress, Chilaw.

7. P. Chelvanathan, Advocate, Chilaw.

8. C. E. Victor 8. Corea, Advocate, President Young Lanka League, Chilaw.

9. Dr. 8. O. Dharmaratne, President, Kalutara Association, Kalutara.

10.

11.

C. H. Z. Fernando, B.A.. LL.B. (Cantab), Member of the Municipal Council,

Colombo.

J. E. Gunesekera. Honorary Secretary, Lanka Maha Jana Sabha, Colombo.

37

12.

D. J. K. Goonetilleke, Proctor, Kalutara.

13.

Dr. C. A. Hewavitharne, Ex-President, Low Country Products Association,

Colombo.

14. S. M. Ismail, Colombo.

15.

A. S. John, Honorary Secretary, Indian Association of Ceylon, Colombo.

16.

T. B. Jayah, B.A. (Lond.), Principal, Zahira College, Colombo.

17.

D. B. Jayetilaka, M.A. (Oxon), Barrister-at-law, Vice-President, Ceylon

Workers' Federation, Colombo.

18. E. W. Jayewardene, Advocate, Member of the Municipal Council, Colombo.

19.

A. St. V. Jayewardena, K.C., Ex-President, Ceylon National Association,

Colombo.

20. C. W. W. Kannangara, Honorary Secretary, Galle Association, Galle.

21. Kamar Kassim, Proctor, Colombo.

22.

H. de S. Kularatne, Proctor, Ambalangoda.

23. A. F. Mola mure, Barrister-at-law, Kegalle.

24. F. Magdon Ismail, Proctor, Galle.

A. H. E. Molamure. Proctor, President, Ratnapura Mahajana Sabha,

Ratnapura.

25.

A. Mahadeva, B.A. (Cantab), Barrister-at-law, Colombo.

26.

27.

28.

Forrester Obeyesekera, Barrister-at-law, Honorary Secretary, Kandy Mahajana

Sabha, Kandy.

29.

Revd. J. $. B. Mendis, Medampe.

H. J. C. Pereira, K.C., President, Ceylon National Congress, Colombo.

30. E. W. Perera, M.L.C., President, Ceylon National Association, Kotte.

James Peiria, M.A., LL.M. (Cantab), M.L.C., Colombo.

31.

32. R. L. Pereira, Advocate, Member of the Municipal Council, Colombo.

33. W. H. W. Perera, Proctor, Honorary Secretary, Total Abstinence Central

Union, Colombo.

W. M. Rajapakse, M.L.C., Negombo.

Dr. E. V. Ratnam, F.R.C.S. (Edin.), Member of the Municipal Council, Presi

W. A. C. de Silva, President, Kurunegale Association, Kurnegalle.

E. J. Samarawickrema, Barrister-at-law, Colombo.

E. T. de Silva, B.A. (Cantab), Barrister-at-law, Colombo.

34.

35.

C. S. Rajaratnam, Advocate, Kandy.

36.

dent, The Colombo Tamil Association, Colombo.

37.

38.

39.

40.

F. R. Senanayake, President, Lanka Mahajana Sabha and Low Country

Products Association, Colombo.

41.

D. S. Senanayake, Colombo.

42.

Peri Sunderam, M.A., LL.B. (Cantab), Barrister-at-law, Vice-President,

Ceylon Indian Association, Colombo.

43.

M. W. H. de Silva, B.A. (Lond.). Barrister-at-law, Bambalapitiya.

44.

M. K. Saldin, Merchant, Colombo.

45. George E. de Silva. Proctor, Member of the Municipal Council, President,

Y.M.C.A., Kandy.

46.

47.

48.

W. A. de Silva, Ex-President, Low Country Products Association, Colombo. W. Sathasivam, Proctor, Colombo.

H. A. P. Sandarasagara, Barrister-at-law, Ex-President, Ceylon National

Association, Colombo.

49. P. Tambirajah, Proctor. Member of the Local Board, Kurnegalle.

50. J. N. Vethavanam, M.A.. B.L., Advocate. Honorary Secretary, Kandy

Mahajana Sabha, Kandy.

51.

J. S. Weerasinghe, Proctor, Matara.

52. D. R. Wijeyewardene, B.A. (Cantab), Barrister-at-law, Honorary Secretary,

Ceylon National Association, Colombo.

53.

C. L. Wickramasinghe, Proctor, Ex-President, Galle Association, Galle.

54. S. R. Wijeyamane, Advocate, Bambalapitiya.

55. D. E. Weerasooriya, Proctor, Colombo.

56.

E. A. P. Wijeyeratne, Proctor, Kegalle.

57. A. A. Wickremasinghe, Proctor, President. Kegalle Mahajana Sabha, Kegalle.

58. G. A. Wille. Proctor, Colombo.

59.

A. C. G. Wijeyekoon, M.L.C.. Kandy.

60. Francis de Zoysa, Advocate, Colombo. 20th March. 1922.