§ 58. Mr. Grant-Ferrisasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British holding posts under the Government of Ceylon have retired prematurely or been sent away since the new Constitution was inaugurated in 1931; and how many British heads of departments in the Government of Ceylon have been replaced by Sinhalese during the same period?
Mr. M. MacDonaldA list received at the end of 1935 showed that 160 European officers had retired prematurely under the special regulations made under the Order in Council of 1931. The number of retirements since that date is small, but I have no summarised statement available. European officers have been succeeded by Ceylonese at the head of six departments since 1931, and in two cases Ceylonese are acting as heads of departments pending a permanent appointment.
§ Mr. de RothschildWhat is the proportion of Tamils among those appointed?
§ 59. Mr. Grant-Ferrisasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on how many occasions the Ceylon State Council has refused to make financial provision for the passage of British public servants returning to Great Britain; and how many times the Governor has had to use his reserve powers to make such provision?
Mr. M. MacDonaldIn each financial year since the inauguration of the new Constitution the State Council have reduced the provision for the passages of officers proceeding on leave, with the intention that leave should be granted once every five years, instead of once every four years, which is the recognised minimum for European officers of the Colonial Service. On each occasion the Governor has used his reserve powers to restore the provision.