§ 25. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the recent elections in Ceylon where, owing to the ignorance of the electorate and in spite of the use of the coloured voting box system, the contests were decided on grounds of race, caste, and religion; whether he has yet received a report from the Governor; and what action he proposes to take?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. J. H. Thomas)The full report upon the recent general elections for which I have called has not yet been received. The last part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Sir A. KNOXWill the right hon. Gentleman state whether, in his opinion, the events in this election, in which incidentally twelve people lost their lives, do not prove that the system of universal suffrage is quite unsuited to an oriental 368 community in which 80 per cent. of the electorate are illiterate?