CO885-11 — Page 546

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.882/11

|PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |

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

C. 73230/30 [No. 23a).

SIR,

1930,

No. 90.

INDIA OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

[Answered by No. 96.]

Whitehall, London, S.W.1, 7th March, 1930. Wir reference to correspondence ending with your letter of 8th February, on the subject of the position of Indians in Ceylon under the proposed new Constitution, 1 am directed by the Secretary of State for India to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of a telegram received from the Government of India. In their telegram the Government of India formulate their final views on the Governor's franchise proposals after discussion with the members of the Standing Emigration Committee and after consideration of the views expressed in the debate in the Indian Legislative Assembly on Mr. Kunzru's resolution of 11th February. It will be observed that the Government of India have received a memorial signed by the two Indian members of the Ceylon Legislative Council protest- ing against these proposals and asking for their help in securing reconsideration of

the matter.

2. For the reasons given in paragraphs 3 to 5 of their telegram the Government of India urge that the question of the adoption of the Governor's proposals relating to the franchise in substitution for the recommendations made by the Donoughmore Commission should receive immediate reconsideration by His Majesty's Government. The Government of India consider that a postponement would have serious reper- cussions on political opinion in India and on the existing amicable relations between India and Ceylon and that unless prompt measures are taken to meet the present feeling in India in regard to these proposals they will be faced with a strong demand for the cessation of immigration of unskilled workers to Ceylon. This the Government of India are anxious to avoid.

3. The Government of India suggest that the question of basing the franchise on five years' continuous residence, subject to certain conditions, as recommended by the Donoughmore Commission should be re-examined, possibly by the appointment of a committee to elicit how such residence could be satisfactorily proved and docu- mentary evidence be made available to persons in a position to furnish the evidence required. It will be noted that the Government of India do not raise any objection to the retention of the existing franchise qualifications as an alternative to the above proposal.

4. Mr. Secretary Benn has no doubt that the views expressed by the Govern- ment of India will receive Lord Passfield's careful consideration, and that no final decision contrary to those views will be taken without further consultation with this Office. In this connection Lord Passfield will recollect that in a reply given by the Secretary of State for India to a Parliamentary Question on the 24th February, he stated, with the concurrence of the Colonial Office, that the views of the Government of India would be considered by His Majesty's Government before a decision was reached.

5. A copy of the debate in the India Legislative Assembly on the 11th February on Mr. Kunzru's resolution will be forwarded on receipt from the Government of India.

I am, &c.,

Enclosure in No. 90.

E. J. TURNER.

VICEROY, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, HEALTH and Lands, NEW DELHI, to SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA.

(Received 10.45 a.m., 21st February, 1930.)

TELEGRAM.

Part 1.

21st February, 1930. Ceylon Franchise. Question was discussed by us with members of the Standing Emigration Committee on Sunday, the 9th, and in the Legis- lative Assembly on Kunzru's Resolution on Tuesday, the 11th instant. In both dis-

* C. 73230/30 [No. 10d]: not printed.

cussions non-official members, including representatives of European group, expressed strong resentment both at omission of Colonial Office to give us opportunity to make representations on Governor's proposal before orders were passed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and at anti-Indian character of proposal that one of the alter- native franchise qualifications should be five years' residence, combined with declara- tion of intention to reside permanently in Ceylon and renunciation of protection of outside Government and of special statutory privileges.

Part 2.

In Assembly, K.C. Roy moved amendment to Kunzru's Resolution voicing protest against the way the Government of India had been ignored. He would have pressed the amendment to division and probably carried it, but for assurance given by our spokesman that matter (? of, omitted) such vital importance could not be finally disposed of by His Majesty's Government without consideration of views of the Government and people of India. So tense was atmosphere in House that it was decided to let Kunzru's Resolution pass without omission of the word

immediate

from before steps." Words" to represent to His Majesty's Government inserted after Governor-General in Council" at Kunzru's own suggestion.

+

3

were

2. In our official telegram of 29th November, we explained why Governor's proposal appeared to us to be unacceptable to Indian opinion, whether in Ceylon or in India. From Ceylon we have received memorial signed by two Indian members of the Legislative Council protesting against proposal and bespeaking our help in having matter reconsidered. Of Indian public opinion we have endeavoured to give you idea in preceding paragraph. Further examination of Governor's arguments has in no way altered our own view of the proposal. Our reasons for this are set out in following- ́ paragraphs.

Part 3.

3. Governor's main arguments are:-(1) That desire of Ceylon leaders to restrict the size of Indian electorate so as to avoid potential menace to local pre- dominance of Ceylonese should be met; (2) that emergence in Ceylon of Indian ques- tions like those that have arisen in certain parts of Africa should be avoided.

As regards (1) we are not satisfied that menace to Ceylonèse predominance is real. Total number of Indian estate labourers at end of 1928 was 700,000. This Allowing for persons below figure included both adults and minors of each sex.

21 years of age and for those who have not been continuously resident in Ceylon for

five years, it is most unlikely that more than 300,000 of this number could qualify for vote. We fail to see how inclusion of 300,000 Indians in total maximum electorate of nearly 2 millions could thwart legitimate political aspirations of Ceylonese. Our former Agent estimated that if Donoughmore Commission's franchise proposal were accepted, 5 or 6 Indians at most would be returned to Legislature consisting of 65 elected members.

Part 4.

Thus inside Legislature also enfranchisement of Indians in numbers mentioned could not affect Ceylonese predominance. It is possible that, both in constituencies and in the Legislature, Indians may, in certain circumstances, hold the balance between the opposite political groups, but limitation of the size of the Indian electorate could not altogether eliminate that possibility since, in event of local parties commanding equal support, even one Indian vote would hold commanding position. Moreover, we think there is nothing wrong in principle for minority group, such as Indians will probably always remain in Ceylon, to be able to safeguard its own interests by being able to (? wield) influence over majority parties. Nor do we believe that Indian electorate would be exploited by political adventurers from India for non-Ceylonese purposes. India affords sufficient scope for political ambitions of Indians and the result of future constitutional developments in this country would be to enlarge rather than to reduce the scope.

(2) Governor's reference to Africa we would beg leave to describe as neither felicitous nor apt.

It has aroused the strongest resentment in India as revealing intention to place Indians in Ceylon eventually on same footing as their compatriots in certain parts of Africa where His Excellency has served.

Part 5.

We submit there is no analogy between certain parts of Africa, with their peculiar socio-economic problems created by the impact of races of fundamentally different civilisations, and Ceylon, whose history and civilisation bear unmistakable impress