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Enclosure in No. 42.

FROM G. S. Bajpai, Esquire. C.I.E., C.B.E., I.C.S., SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, to HIS MAJESTY'S UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA, ECONOMIC AND OVERSEAS DEPARTMENT, INDIA OFFICE, LONDON.

(Confidential.)

SIB,

Government of India,

Department of Education, Health and Lands,

New Delhi, the 29th November, 1928.

Report of Ceylon Reforms Commission.

I AM directed to refer to the correspondence resting with your letter dated the 26th July, 1928.

2. The recommendations of the Ceylon Reforms Commission are of interest to the Government of India only from the standpoint of the interests of Indians who are resident in the Island. These recommendations do not appear to affect Indian interests differentially or adversely. The Ceylon Legislative Council recently passed a resolution recommending the acceptance of the Commission's proposals relating to franchise with certain amendments. This resolution is also of general application and does not call for comment. It is understood, however, that there is a group of Sinhalese leaders in Ceylon who, for reasons which are not clear, are hostile to Indians and would like if possible to discriminate Indians in the matter of the franchise in particular and of their political position in the Island generally. The Government of India have no reason to assume that any attempts which these leaders might make to achieve their object would be favourably viewed by the Colonial Government. fact, their experience of the treatment accorded by that Government to Indians in Ceylon leads them to think that it would stand for the meting out to its Indian citizens the same treatment as is accorded to any other class of His Majesty's subjects. Nevertheless, the attitude of the hostile political leaders already mentioned imposes on the Government of India the need for vigilance. I am, accordingly, to ask that, if His Majesty's Secretary of State for India has no objection, the Colonial Office may be requested to give them (the Government of India) an opportunity of making repre- sentations on any proposals relating to the franchise or other proposals of the Donough- more Commission which involve any differentiation between Ceylonese and non- Ceylonese British subjects.

No. 43.

In

I have, &c.,

H. H. LINCOLN

(for Secretary).

73

great extent independent of the control of the Legislative Council, und whose revenues and expenditure would not be subject to revision by that Council. I am aware that similar proposals have been put forward in Ceylon from time to time for a number of years, but I shall be glad to learn your views on the suggestion in the changed circum- stances brought about by the publication of the proposals of the Special Commission.

I have, &c.,

L. S. AMERY.

C. 53429/28/10 | No. 6].

(No. 5.)

SIR,

No. 44.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.

Downing Street, 3rd January, 1929.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 834 of the 12th of November,* transmitting a memorial addressed to me by the Chiefs of the Central Province regarding the recommendations of the Special Commission on the Constitution relating to the appointment of Ileadmen.

2. I request that you will inform the petitioners that their memorial, together with the resolutions passed at the session of the Kandyan National Assembly on the 30th of September, which were also enclosed in your despatel under reply, will receive my consideration.

C 53429/28/9 [No. 9].

(Confidential)

SIR,

No. 45.

I have, &c..

L. S. AMERY.

COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE.

Downing Street, 24th January, 1929. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Amery to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th of Decembert regarding the report of the Special Cominission on the Ceylon Constitution and to state for Viscount Peel's information that the Govern- ment of India may be assured that they will be given an opportunity of making repre- sentations in the event of Mr. Amery having under his serious consideration any proposals involving differential treatment between Ceylonese and non-Ceylonese British subjects in connection with the franchise or other recommendations of the Commission.

I am, &c.,

H. R. COWELL.

C. 53429/28/8 [No. 21.

SIE,

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. [Answered by No. 48.]

(Confidential.)

Downing Street, 2nd January, 1929. WITH reference to my despatch No. 617 of the 30th November* transmitting to you copies of correspondence with the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom and with the Board of Trade on the subject of the control over ports, harbours and shipping under the proposals of the Special Commission on the Constitution, I have the honour to inform you that I subsequently received a deputation from the Chamber of Shipping and the Liverpool Steamship Owners' Association, together with repre- sentatives of the Ceylon Association in London and the Rubber Growers' Association. 2. I indicated to the Deputation that while I should, of course, give full con- sideration to any proposals for securing the interests of British trade and shipping, I could not hold out any hope that, if the scheme of the Special Commission were to be adopted, it would be possible or desirable to place such matters under the control of the Chief Secretary rather than under that of the Minister for Public Communications as the Report of the Commission contemplates.

3. In the course of the discussion, however, a proposal was put forward for placing the Port of Colombo under a Harbour Board or Trust, which would be to a

* C. 63429/28/8 [No. 6]: not printed.

C. 63230/29/5 [No. 1].

No. 46.

EXTRACT FROM OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE INDIAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

DEBATES, DATED 4т¤ FEBRUARY, 1929 (PAGE 342).

STATUS OF INDIANS UNDER THE REFORMED CONSTITUTION IN CEYLON.

366. Mr. A. Rangaswami Iyengar: (a) Has the attention of the Government of India been drawn to the discussions and resolutions of the Ceylon Legislative Council in regard to the franchise, status and rights of Indians resident and domiciled in Ceylon, proposed to be dealt with under the Reformed Constitution in Ceylon arising out of the Donoughmore Commission Report?

(b) Will Government be pleased to state whether the Government Agent in Ceylon has taken any part in the deliberations of the Government, the legislative or representative bodies of Indians in Ceylon in connection with the said reforms, in so far as they affect the status and rights of Indians, and, if so, whether they have received any report from him on the matter and whether they would lay the same on the table of the House?

* No. 33.

↑ No. 42.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PEPTIC.O.882/11

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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