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TUIT

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

CO. 882/10

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO |

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seats find a place in their scheme, they are so arranged as to give a certain proportion to the Tamils as compared with what is allotted to the Singhalese, such proportion, however, being fixed on no recognized principle, and without any regard to the numbers or the relative importance of the two communities. Moreover, the number of seats allotted to these two communities is restricted for the admitted purpose of preventing them "from joining their forces and completely domineering all other communities and the Government.'

The system of representation advocated in this memorandum is not the representation of the residents in the various con- stituencies, but the return to the Council of members belonging to the various- communities in a fixed proportion.

"

25. Such a scheme is contrary to the spirit of the reforms embodied in the present Order in Council, and to the promises contained in Lord Milner's despatch of 18th August, 1920, and the pronouncement made in the House of Commons by the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies on the 11th August, 1920, that the communal representation provided in it was intended to be of a temporary nature.

26. By the Order in Council eleven (11) territorial constituencies were created for the representation of the nine (9) provinces in the Island and the then existing representation of communities and interests was retained with certain modifications ---and Lord Milner in the despatch above referred to said that "he would be glad when the new constitution has had a reasonable trial, to consider any proposals for its amendment, and would certainly rejoice if the degree of popular control now introduced were productive of such good results in practice as to justify its extension."

27. Any extension of the communal principle is also opposed to the settled policy of the Imperial Government and is condemned in the reports of the Com- missions and Committees that considered the reforms of the constitutions of India, Burma, Jamaica and other countries under British rule.

28. As you are aware the Ceylon National Congress condemned the reforms embodied in the Order in Council when it was introduced and resolved not to participate in the elections, but in consequence of the pledge given by His Excellency the Governor to give favourable consideration to proposals for the reform of the Constitution in about a year's time, the Congress agreed to co-operate with the Government in the working of the Reforms. At the elections which were held ten out of the eleven members returned for the territorial constituencies, though most of them were not members of Congress, pledged themselves to their constituents to support the main Congress demands regarding the reform of the Constitution, so that the members who voted for the Reform motion of December last did so with a distinct mandate from their constituents.

29. His Excellency the Governor has on several occasions commended the way in which the present members of Council have discharged their duties, and stated that they had proved themselves worthy of being entrusted with extended powers. The only way in which Lord Milner's promise to extend popular control in Council can be carried out is by the creation of a territorial majority which will enable the inhabitants of all classes and communities resident in the different Districts of the Island, to have their voice heard in Council in regard to their wants and grievances and to express their opinions on proposed legislation.

30. Liberal provision is made in the proposals submitted to Council in December last to enable the minority communities to place their views before Council and the Government, but it is against all precedent to place them in a position to decide between the Government and the popular representatives.

31. With the powers of veto and certification vested in the Governor there is no danger of the territorial members "domineering over the Communal members and the Government" as suggested in the memorandum.

32.

We would, therefore, beg that you will be pleased to give effect to the wishes of the people, regarding the reform of the constitution, as expressed by their accredited representatives in the Legislative Council in December last, and grant

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to Ceylon a measure of reform at least equal to that granted lately to countries far behind it in all the elements which constitute political progress,

49322

SIR,

(No. 520.)

We are, etc.,

JAS. PEIRIS,

Member for the Town of Colombo. EDWARD W. PERERA,

Member for the Western Province, Division B.

A. C. G. WIJEYEKOON,

Member for the Central Province.

W. EDWARD Borejue,

Member for the Sabragamuwa Province.

S. D. KRISNARATNE,

Member for the North Central Province.

D. H. KOTALAWALA,

Member for the Uva Province.

W. M. RAJAPAKSE,

Member for the Western Province, Division A.

No. 42.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received 4th October, 1922.)

Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, 11th September, 1922.

I HAVE the honour to transmit a copy of a memorial," addressed to me in November last, by the Association known as the Ceylon Tamil Mahajana Sabhai, on the subject of constitutional reform, together with a copy of a memorandum from that body, dated 28th January, 1922, in the same connexion.

2. I also attach a copy of a letter, dated 1st September, 1922, which has been received from the Secretary of the Association in question.

Enclosure 2 in No. 42.

I have, &c.,

W. H. MANNING,

Governor.

MEMORANDUM OF THE ALL-CEYLON TAMIL MAHAJANA SABHAI ON CONSTITUTIONAl Reforms.

The Tamil Mahajana Sabhai addressed a Memorial to His Excellency the Governor, dated 13th November, 1921, presenting the case and claims of the Tamils of Ceylon in connexion with the constitutional reforms which are under the con- sideration of the Government.

2. Paragraph 1 of the Memorial refers to the formation of the Sabhai, and mentions the names of its office-bearers, the Honourable Sir A. Kanagasabai, President, and the Honourable Messrs. W. Duraiswamy and E. R. Tambimuttu, elected Members for the Northern and Eastern Provinces respectively, and Mr. A. Sapapathy, late Tamil M.L.C., Vice-Presidents.

3. In paragraph 2 the principal Resolution unanimously passed at the inauguration meeting of the Sabbai, is quoted, which resolution affirms that in any electoral scheme provision should be made for Tamil Seats in the Legislative Council equal in number to two-thirds of Singhalese Seats, including Reserved Seats, in Provinces where the Tamila form important minorities.

4.

·

In paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 mention is made of the antiquity and past greatness of the Tamils of Ceylon as a race which ruled over a large portion of Ceylon for centuries, and of their present importance as a community, holding a position of equality with the Singhalese in official and unofficial life, although in numerical strength the former are far inferior to the latter. This is borne out by

* Enclosure 2 in No. 8.