Asian Relations Conference. March-April 1947. Lanka’s March to Freedom

A Royal Commission was sent out in the years 1829-1831 and as a resultof its recommendations by an Order in Council of 1833 an Executive Council consisting of the Colonial Secretary the Officer Commanding the Forces the Attorney General the Treasurer and the Auditor General was appointed to a.:sist the Governor in administering the country. [...] Their claim was to gain a remission of the disproportionate military burden imposed on the colony a share in the administration of the government by the election of members to the local legislature and a control over the finance of the island. [...] With the increase in the number of Ceylonese educated in English and as a result of their coming in contact with Western ideas through the Universities of Engl&nd a number of associations doing public work rose up in the Island and numerous memorials were sent to the Governor and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [...] Year in and year out attempts were made in the Council and outside it by deputations sent to the Governor and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies by memorials addressed to the same officials by'the Board: Of Ministereg as well as unofficial bodies to obtain a reform of the following features of the Donoughmore Constitution(a) Removal of the officers of State. [...] With the advent of the war to the East and the fall of Burma and the threat to India and with the struggle of the Indian people to attain their own freedom Ceylon political organisations also followed their example.