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letting them down if I oppose this Scheme. In these circumstances I find that I have no option but to vote for the Scheme.

Mr. Corea here read a mandate sent to him by a public meeting for the acceptance of the Scheme, and added that it was a matter of tragic seriousness.

I find that I am not my own master in this matter, and I have no option but to obey the mandate. ...but lest it be thought that I am selling my conscience for a vote, I wish to assure the House, and through it the country at large, that I shall never seek election to a House to the constitution of which I have so strong a dislike. As in due course when the question comes to be put to the House it will not be Victor Corea but the Member for Colombo North that will say 'aye.' '-(Ceylon Daily News, 12th December, 1929.)

Another Member, the Honourable Mr. V. S. de S. Wickramanayaka stated:-

In regard to his own position in the matter, he said that it was true, in December last, he was strongly opposed to the Donoughmore Scheme. He still had 'I have been some fear to get into the camp of the acceptionists. (Laughter.)

strongly against this scheme for various reasons,' said Mr Wickramanayaka, ‘but I propose to vote for the acceptance of the Scheme because that is the clear mandate of my constituents."'

I am confident that whether I vote for acceptance or for rejection I would get 90 per cent. of the votes of my constituents at an election. It is the personal factor that counts in an election.'

"Continuing, Mr. Wickramanayaka said that the reason why the mandate was But how did the given him was that public opinion was in favour of acceptance.

public come to that opinion?' he asked, and by way of answer said that so far as the Southern Province was concerned he could speak with authority. It was the influence of the Big Three.' He referred to the Member for the Colombo District, the Member for Negomba District and the Member for the Kandy Urban District. Those were the three gentlemen who were responsible for the opinion formed in the Island. If this system happens to prove a failure.' concluded Mr. Wickrama- nayaka, the sin will be on their heads.' (Laughter.) "(Ceylon Daily News, 13th December, 1929.)

The Honourable Mr. P. B. Rambukwella declared:-

Dealing with the Scheme before the House, Mr. Rambukwella said that the chief feature was the grant of universal suffrage and the abolition of the communal representation and the ministerial system. The gentlemen of the Con- gress persuasion were paying poojah to the Donoughmore Scheme now, when twelve months ago they opposed it vehemently. There was no more attractive feature in the Scheme to his mind than the grant of universal suffrage. 'I think if I cast my vote for the acceptance of the Scheme it will only be on that ground. There is nothing else to recommend its acceptance.' (Ceylon Daily News, 7th December, 1929.)

The Vice-President, Sir James Peiris, did not vote, but if called on would have given his casting vote against the motion. As pointed out at the close of the debate by the Honourable Sir P. Ramanathan, it was incumbent that the Vice-President should cast his vote and his failure to do so rendered the decision of the Council inoperative. (Rule 15 (1) Rules and Orders of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.)

In the circumstances the decision of the Council ought to be regarded not as a decision for acceptance but rather for the rejection of the Scheme. In any event the decision ought not to be regarded as a clear indication of the country's acceptance in a matter of such far-reaching importance. Moreover the Council which voted for the motion was elected in 1924 and its term expired in September, 1929. Its existence has been prolonged by an Order in Council. Hence it has no authority to speak for the country without a fresh mandate obtained on a new register after a general election. It has been urged that the verdict of the country will be that of only 4 per cent. of the population. As a matter of fact not taking into account the women and children, on an up-to-date register the percentage will be more like 20 per cent. rather than 4 per cent. We would, however, welcome the issue being decided at a general election upon an adult franchise.

Further, it will not be irrelevant to point out that the Executive Committee of the Ceylon National Congress following the resolutions of a Special Sessions of the Ceylon National Congress held in September, 1928, passed a resolution :—

That the Executive Committee of the Cevlon National Congress is of opinion that the Ceylon Legislative Council should reject the proposed Scheme of Reforms "

121

In spite of such party mandate the Tresident, the Honourable Mr. A. C. G. Wijeyekoon, and other prominent Members, such as the Honourable Mr. D. B. Jaya- tilaka (ex-President), Honourable Mr. W. A. de Silva (ex-President), Honourable Mr. A. F. Molamure (Vice-President), Honourable Mr. D. S. Senanayaka (Member of the Executive Committee) and Honourable Mr. F. A. Obeyesekere (Vice-President elect), who as Members of the Ceylon National Congress were elected in 1924 to the Legisla- tive Council, voted for acceptance.

mamlates which they

They sought to justify their action by appealing to claimed to have received at public meetings of thei: constituents. If a verdiet at the polls will be only that of a verdict of 4 per cent, the persons who attended those public meetings would be very much less than 4 per cent. of the electorate.

Further, we would take leave to point out that the ery has been raised in the country by those who were originally for rejection but now for acceptance that the rejection of the Scheme which they had originally advocated before the Donoughmore Scheme became, the Government Scheme would mean the downfall of Sinhalese pre- dominance over the Tamils and the minority communities and those who opposed the Scheme were traitors to the country and were betraying the Sinhalese. Mr. George E. de Silva, President elect of the Ceylon National Congress. speaking in favour of acceptance of the Scheme at the Lanka Maha Jana Sabha, on 30th November, 1929, stated:-

"In conclusion, Mr. de Silva said that he would ask them to persuade Mr. Kannangara and Mr. E. W. Perera, if they had any Sinhalese blood in them, to work along with the other Sinhalese leaders. If they were Sinhalese they should work with the other Sinhalese and walk with them in the paths that the majority selected. He prayed, and asked them also to pray, that Mr. Kannangara and Mr. E. W. Perera may see light."―(Ceylon Daily News, 2nd December, 1929.)

This was the first occasion in the political history of the country that such a plea was raised, and that too by the very party who always attributed communal feeling to the minority communities. The Congress had always been against Special Communal repro- sentation and against the excitement of racial feeling The appeal to communal feeling was apparently necessary to cover the change of front from rejection to acceptance. Certain Sinhalese newspapers originally for rejection now for acceptance reflect the racial bitterness which was raised and prove our contention.

It is submitted that an addition to the cost of establishment (ride the Governor's despatch, paragraph 20) involving new taxation ought not to be passed by the present Council without an opportunity being given to the clecorate to decide the question. In any event without a special mandate the new Council properly elected on an adult suffrage, we would take leave to submit, will not consider itself bound by the narrow majority of a time-expired Council respecting the Donoughmore Scheme. Compulsory enforcement of the Scheme, we humbly urge, will be a source of grave dissatisfaction. Therefore, we would respectfully appeal to your Lordship to declare that the acceptance or rejection of the Scheme should abide the verdict of the polls in the next general election on an adult franchise.

We have, &c.,

The Rt. Honourable the Lord Passfield,

His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State

for the Colonies, Downing Street, London

C. 73230/2/30 [No. 6].

No. 68.

EDWARD W. PERERA, W. DURAISWAMY. T. B. JAYAH,

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 20th January, 1930.)

(Confidential.)

MY LORD.

Queen's House, Colombo, 31st December, 1929.

WITH reference to my despatches No. 1062 of the 23rd December,* and No. 1063 of the 24th December,† I have the honour to transmit, as likely to be of interest to Your Lordship, a copy of a Minute by Mr. B. H. Bourdillon, C.M.G.,

† No. 67.

* No. 66.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.882/11

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