§ In reply to a question from Mr. HUME,
§ MR. HAWESstated that Her Majesty's Government had received two despatches from the Governor of Ceylon, dated in July, which stated that a noisy meeting had taken place in Kandy on the subject of ordinances recently issued by the Colonial Government; that Sir E. Tennent, the Colonial Secretary, had been despatched to Kandy to explain the ordinances to the people; and that they were perfectly satisfied with his explanation. The Governor, in a despatch of the 12th of July, stated that every thing was quiet. It was quite true the troops had been ordered out, but it was rather for show than use, on account of the police feeling some alarm; and the appearance of the soldiers had the immediate effect of producing tranquillity. With regard to the ordinances in question, he (Mr. Hawes) might state that the Governor had repealed a very large portion of the taxation of Ceylon; he had equalised the import duties, and had reduced the export duties, but he found it necessary to substitute some other taxes. That taxation was not, however, as had been stated in another place, in the nature of a poll-tax. It was a tax for the improvement of the roads, similar to the old statute-labour in this country, the inhabitants of certain districts in Ceylon being required to give six days' labour in the year, or to pay 3s. in lieu of it. This had been explained by Sir E. Tennent, and the people seemed to be perfectly satisfied with his statement. A tax upon guns had been imposed by the Governor; but formerly no one in the island was allowed to carry a gun, and this matter had also been satisfactorily explained by Sir E. Tennent.
§ Subject at an end.