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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882/10

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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reputation for unfair dealing and false testimony. This is borne out by the legal records of the Colony. During the riots, the Attorney-General deputed me to address the Moors and warn them against the institution of false cases and the fabrication of false evidence. I carried out this order by addressing a large gathering of Moors in the house of the Honourable Mr. W. M. Abdul Rahaman at Wellawatte; but apparently my warning fell on deaf ears.

As regards honours from Government, the Malays feel that these have all gone to the Moors, and that they have been neglected by the Government. But they blame the Moors and not the Government, because they believe that the Moors have intrigued for this result. The standing example they always quote is the fact that no Malay has ever been nominated to the Legislative Council Moslem seat, and that the seat has always been filled by a Moor, although the Malays have always shown a marked advance over the Moors in education.

In short, the Malays feel that the Moors have always tried to keep them down.

M. T. AKBAR. 6th September, 1923.

Enclosure 3 in No. 40.

THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER AND REPORT UPON THE QUESTION OF DEFINING THE ELECTORAL AREAS IN CONNEXION WITH A MOHAMMEDAN ELECTORATE.

THIS Committee was appointed by His Excellency the Governor as a result of a discussion which took place between His Excellency and the Chairman on the question of Mohammedan Electoral areas.

It has held three sittings at all of which all members were present with the exception of Mr. A. R. Cassi Lebbe, who attended only the first and third sittings.

2. At the first sitting, the question "whether one Electoral area for the whole Island or three Electoral areas was considered, and a very keen discussion took place. A thorough examination of the claims of every province for representation was made, and consideration given to the Mohammedan population, literacy and economic interests of the various areas. The Committee was evenly divided at the first sitting on the two issues.

3. At the second sitting, the question was again discussed, and the Committee stood as seven (including the Chairman) against three for one Electorate. Messrs. M. B. A. Cader, M. C. Abdul Cader, and S. M. Aboobucker, were of opinion that there should be three Electoral arean and voted accordingly. Mr. M. B. A. Cader, however, expressed his willingness to abide by the decision of the majority, and to sign the report without expressing any dissent. Two tentative proposals for division were put forward. One was accepted by Messrs. M. C. Abdul Cader and S. M. Aboobacker, but rejected by the rest. The other was accepted by Mr. M. B. A. Cader and Mr. M. C. Abdul Cader, but rejected by the rest.

4. In this connexion, it may be mentioned that the Committee has been favoured with the views of two representative bodies and of a leading citizen of Batticaloa. At the first sitting, the Committee received a copy of the resolution passed by the General Committee of the Ceylon Muslim Association, stating that the meeting was of opinion that the interests of the Mohammedan community would be best served by formation of one Electorate. A copy of a similar resolution from the Kandy Mohammedan Political Association was received at the second sitting. After the second sitting was over, the Chairman received a telegram from Mr. A. K. Kariapper, J.P., of Batticaloa, objecting to the formation of one Electorate for the whole Island and supporting division of Ceylon into three' Electoral areas and also desiring to retain His Excellency's recommendation of one member for Batticaloa.

5. The matter being one vitally affecting the community in general, and in view of the unanimous desire of the Mohammedan community for election, we, have given our earnest and serious consideration to the views expressed within and outside the Committee, and are of opinion that the election of the three members reserved for the Mohammedan community in the New Legislative Council, should

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be by one Electorate. The question may be reconsidered if necessary after five years. We accordingly submit the report for His Excellency's favourable consideration and acceptance and earnestly hope that His Excellency will be pleased to give effect to the recommendation of the Committee.

Colombo, 20th August, 1923.

S. M. ABOOBUCKER.

Signed subject to my dissent,

M. B. A. Cader.

M. S. HASSEN.

T. B. JAYAH.

M. C. ABDUL Cader.

Signed subject to my dissent.

N. H. M. A. CADER, Chairman.

W. M. ABDUL RAHEMAN.

A. R. CASSI Lædbe.

MOHD. MACAN MARKAR.

N. H. M. SHAMBUDEEN,

X X X (Signature cannot be

deciphered).

Enclosure 4 in No. 40.

AFTER careful consideration, it is my firm conviction that it is in the best interests of the Mohammedans of Ceylon to divide the Island into three Electoral areas each area sending one member to Council. This is simply a recognition of the principle of division of labour. This is not in the least calculated to cause disunion in the community as apprehended by certain members of this Committee. A member of a particular division will no doubt have to devote his closest attention to the interests of his constituents, but it does not follow that he will neglect the interests of the community as a whole. Mohammedan which can never be wiped out of his mind. I mean the interests of This is a striking characteristic of a the whole Mohammedan community.

Again the views of the Mohammedans of the Eastern Province which I am summoned to represent in this Committee, are the same as mine. Province is mainly an agricultural Province.

The Eastern It has its special wants and needs.

Its Mohammedan population is over 75,000. This is more than that of any other Province. About 90 per cent. of the Mohammedans there are paddy land owners and cultivators. The area under cultivation in that Province is very large, and still large tracts of jungle land have to be brought under cultivation.

Evidently, taking into consideration all the foregoing facts. His Excellency the Governor in his despatch to the Secretary of State, dated 14th August, 1922 (vide Sessional Paper IV of 1923), has recommended that one of the three Mohammedan seats should be allocated to the Batticaloa District, Agreeing with this wish, the Secretary of State in his despatch dated 11th January, 1923, says that a Mohammedan Electorate might be formed for the Batticaloa District. Will I go a step further! The whole Eastern Province and one or two other Provinces, viz., Uva and North Central may be joined together to form one Electorate.

20th August, 1923.

M. C. ABDUL CADER

Enclosure 5 in No. 40.

I GAVE my best attention to the subject, and am of firm opinion that division into three separate Electoral areas will be in the best interests of the community.

Colombo, 20th August, 1923.

S. M. ABOOBUCKER,

49010

No. 41.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 8th October, 1923.)

(Confidential.)

The Queen's Cottage, Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon.

17th September, 1923.

MY LORD DUKE,

WITH reference to my open despatch of to-day's date [the 14th of September], you will observe, from the perusal of the official report, that

* No. 40.201

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