Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received a memorial from the Sinhalese protesting against the procedure adopted by the Commissioners appointed to inquire into certain cases of shooting without trial in connection with the Ceylon riots of 1915, after the riots had ceased, on the following, among other, grounds: that sufficient notice was not given to the parties concerned, that the inquiry was held in camera, that the counsel retained by the widows were not permitted either to lead evidence or cross-examine the witnesses called, while the counsel for the officials complained against were given full right of examination and cross-examination, a procedure which resulted in the withdrawal under protest of the counsel for the relatives at the end of the first day's proceedings, and that the scope of the inquiry was unnecessarily narrowed and important evidence tendered by the aggrieved parties was excluded by the Attorney-General, who presented the case both for the relatives and the accused who were not present in person; and whether he will reconsider the desirability of causing an inquiry to be made under conditions which will enable the full facts to be elicited?
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§ Mr. LONGThe memorial has not yet been received. When I receive it, together with the Governor's observations on it, I will give it careful consideration.