§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that it appears in the recent census returns of the island of Ceylon that out of a population of 3,565,954 souls 2,790,255 are unable to read or write; whether he will consider the advisability of establishing an educational cess to provide elementary vernacular education, seeing that the children of the Tamil labourers, who number roughly a million souls, are devoid of facilities for education.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINMy attention has been drawn to the facts referred to by the hon. Member, and the question of providing further educational facilities in Ceylon by means of local rates is under the consideration of a Commission on the Incidence of Taxation which is now sitting in the Colony.