association with the Plywood Factory. I do not know what the hon. Member for Kotte wants.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena: My Question arises from what the Hon. Minister has stated.

Dr. Perera: It arises from (a) (i).

Mr. Dahanayake: Is the Hon. Minister aware

Mr. Speaker: Two supplementary Questions have been asked and one more is allowed.

Mr. Dahanayake: Is the Hon. Minister aware that the regular flow of sawn timber from the saw mill at Gintota is being obstructed by a corrupt manager ?

Dr. Perera: No answer from the Hon. Minister!

Mr. Dahanayake: The Hon. Minister knows nothing of what is happening under him.

Carpentry Workshop at Mart Road, Dematagoda: Amenities for Workers

8. Dr. Perera asked the Minister of Industries and Fisheries: (a) Is he aware (i) that although 3 years have passed since the Carpentry Workshop was set up at Mart Road, Dematagoda, the 230 workers employed have not been provided with water or sanitary facilities? (ii) that there is no place for the workers to take their meals? (iii) that for the last 7 years the workers have to work with their own instruments and the Department has given no help to them in this matter? (iv) that for the last 7 years no increments have been paid to any of the workers? (b) What steps does he propose to take to remedy these defects?

The Hon. Mr. Ponnambalam: (a) The Carpentry Workshop at Mart Road

Mr. Dahanayake: He does not know what is happening

Mr. Speaker: The hon. Member for Galle must keep Order in this House.

The Hon. Mr. Ponnambalam: (a) (i) The Carpentry Workshop at Mart Road, Colombo, is housed in private premises which have been taken on a monthly rental. The workers utilize the sanitary facilities provided by the Municipality in the neighbourhood. There is no pipe-borne water supply, but adequate supplies of water are made available from the Municipal mains nearby. (ii) There is a separate canteen in the Workshop premises equipped with benches and tables for the use of the workers. (iii) The workers are expected to provide themselves with their own implements of trade. This is one of the conditions of recruitment to the Workshop. (iv) The Carpentry Workshop was originally set up as an unemployment relief scheme and no increments have been paid to any of the workers. This is a condition of their service. (b) With regard to (i) above, I shall take steps to provide adequate facilities when a final decision regarding the permanent location of this Workshop is reached.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena : Is the Hon. Minister aware that all that he has stated is quite false?

Mr. Speaker: The hon. Member must keep Order and withdraw that statement.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena : I will put it this way.

Mr. Speaker: Will the hon. Member withdraw what he has stated?

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena : I withdraw. Is the Hon. Minister aware that most of the statements that he gave are incorrect?

Mr. Speaker: The Hon. Minister need not answer that question.

Dr. Perera: May I ask the Hon. Minister whether he has ever visited this place and seen this canteen? I

should be under the personal supervision of the Supervisor during this interval. The time allotted by the Supervisor will not in any exceed this interval, and the duration of the paper will be extended by this period.

Mr. Marikkar: Is the Hon. Minister aware that most of the papers are set from 9 a.m. to noon?

The Hon. Mr. Banda: I am aware of it.

Mr. Marikkar: Under those circumstances, there was not a sufficient interval for the Buddhist priests to take their dana

Mr. Speaker: The Hon. Minister has answered that.

Mr. Dahanayake: Does the Hon. Minister think that 15 minutes is enough to take a hearty meal?

Mr. Suntharalingam: A heartless meal.

The Hon. Mr. Banda: The priests had not been invited to a dana.

L. D. Permit Issued to I. D. Semeneris

13. Mr. P. H. W. de Silva asked the Minister of Lands and Land Development: (a) Is he aware (i) that the L. D. permit issued in favour of I. D. Semeneris of Unagaswela, Watugedara, (No. BWK/2,723) was forwarded to the Government Agent, Southern Province, by the Galle District L.D. Allottees Union, through the then first Member of Parliament for Ambalangoda-Balapitiya on 10th March, 1952, for the purpose of appointing a new N.S. to the allotment covered by this permit? (ii) that attention to this matter was invited by telegram on 1st September, 1952 ? (iii) that on 27th September, 1952, copies of all correspondence were sent to the Government Agent, Southern Province, for early action, but that this amended permit has not been issued to the allottee yet? (b) Who is responsible for the delay? (c) Will he take immediate steps to issue this amended permit?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa : (a) (i) Yes. (ii) Yes. (iii) The Government Agent reports that the amended permit was sent to the Divisional Revenue Officer on 9.7.52 for delivery. (b) The alleged delay is being investigated by me. (c) A fresh copy of the amended permit will be issued if the original has not been received by the allottee.

Mr. Dahanayake: As it has become a habit of the land branch of the Galle Kachcheri to lose documents, will the Hon. Minister please look into the matter a little more closely ?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa : I am investigating into this matter. Under-Payment of Wages to Workers in Borakanda Rural Hospital

14. Mr. P. H. W. de Silva asked the Minister of Health: (a) Is he aware (i) that representations were made by the Second Member of Parliament for Ambalangoda-Balapitiya by his letter No. ME/65 of 12th July, 1952, to the Director of Health Services regarding the under-payment of wages to T. H. Eledin Appu and H. D. Danny of the Rural Hospital, Borakanda ? (ii) that attention to this matter was invited by telegrams on 29th September, 1952, and 27th December, 1952, and that despite these reminders the matter remains unsettled? (b) Who is responsible and what is the cause for this delay ? (c) Will he take immediate steps to settle these under-payments?

The Hon. Mr. E. A. Nugawela (Minister of Health): (a) (i) Yes. (ii) Yes. (b) Action is being taken to fix the responsibility and to ascertain the cause of delay. (c) Yes.

Irregularities in Kalinga-Ela C. A.

and P. Society, Polonnaruwa

15. Dr. Perera asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Food: (a) Is he aware (i) that complaints have been. made about the serious irregularities committed by the Kalinga-Ela Cooperative Agricultural and Produce Society, Polonnaruwa ? (ii) that in particular three hundredweight of

[Dr. Perera]

barbed wire and 730 bushels of paddy have been found to be missing from this Society? (iii) that no entries have been made of monies paid by various members to purchase barbed wire? (iv) that although paddy has been purchased at Rs. 12 and sold at Rs. 15 and that a turnover of 24 lakhs of money has produced only a profit of Rs. 400 for the year? (b) Will he take steps to hold a prompt inquiry into the irregularities in this Cooperative Agricultural and Produce Society?

Mr. V. Kumaraswamy (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Food): (a) (i) and (ii) When the committee of the society and the local sub-inspector checked stocks in January there was a shortage of 721 bushels of paddy and 2 cwt. of barbed wire. The society has interdicted the Manager who has been held responsible for the shortage, and called upon him to pay the value of the paddy and the barbed wire. (iii) .The checking officer found that the accounts of certain members had not been credited with payments made by them to the society. He got the necessary entries made in the ledger. (iv) Paddy was purchased at Rs. 12 per bushel but was not sold at Rs. 15 per bushel. Of the 12,000 bushels purchased 4,000 bushels were sold under the Guaranteed Price Scheme at Rs. 12.50. The balance was sold at Rs. 14 and Rs. 14.50. The gross profit from these transactions was Rs. 19,000; on making allowance for the shortage of paddy, these profits are reduced to Rs. 10,400. (b) In view of the replies to (a) there is no need for further inquiry, since suitable action has already been taken.

D. R. O's Office, Baddegama

16. Mr. Abeywickreme asked the Minister of Home Affairs: (a) Has he received representations from the people of Baddegama that the present situation of the office of the D. R. O., Baddegama, is unsuitable? (b) Has he received the suggestion of the Member of Parliament for Baddegama on 13th October, 1952, to shift

this Office to the house of Mr. K. B. Hendrick de Silva, P. W. D. Overseer, Baddegama, and the letter of Mr. K. B. Hendrick de Silva offering his house for this purpose? (c) What steps has he taken with regard to this matter? (d) Is he aware that subsequently the Divisional Revenue Officer had entered into a private agreement with Mr. Hendrick de Silva to get this house for his private residence? (e) What action will he take against the Divisional Revenue Officer for utilising this offer made to a public cause for his personal advantage?

The Hon. Mr. A. Ratnayake: (a) Yes. (b) Yes. (c) Mr. Hendrick de Silva's house was one of the premises considered by the Government Agent, S. P. in the course of his search for suitable building to shift the D. R. O's office. No further action was taken since the house was considered too large for a D. R. O's office. (d) No. (e) Does not arise.

a

Land Development Workshops,

Kirillapone: Lavatories

17. Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena asked the Minister of Lands and Land Development: (a) Is he aware that there are no lavatories for the Land Development Workshops at Kirillapone and that these workers have to use the conveniences allotted to the relief workers a considerable distance away? (b) Will he take immediate steps to construct these lavatories as early as possible?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa: (a) Lavatories have been provided. (b) Does not arise.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena : Is the Hon. Minister aware that these lavatories have not been fully equipped with necessary things like buckets and water?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa : All latrines are provided with those. things.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena : Is he aware that they are not provided at the spot and that the workers have to

walk down a few hundred yards to avail themselves of these things, thereby causing loss of working time to the Department ?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa: About a month ago they used to walk down about fifty yards for this purpose. Since then we have provided lavatories for the workers within the premises.

Land Development Workshops,
Kirillapone: Drinking Water

18. Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena asked the Minister of Lands and Land Development: Will he take steps to provide the workmen at the Land Development Workshops at Kirillapone with a good supply of drinking water as at present the water in the tank provided for the purpose gets heated during the day?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa: Water is supplied to the workers both for drinking and and washing washing purposes. The water tank is placed inside the workshop building and no complaint has been received that the water in the tank gets heated.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena: Is the Minister aware that the statement he has made is quite incorrect?

Mr. Speaker: The hon. Member cannot question in that way.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena: Will he

Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The Hon. Minister has fully answered the Question.

Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena : Will the Minister make further investigations and correct the statement he has made?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa : I have fully investigated this matter. I do not know what further investigations need be made.

Land Development Workshops, Kirillapone: Accident Pay

19. Mr. D. B. R. Gunawardena asked the Minister of Lands and Land Development: (a) Is he aware that the workers at the Land Development Workshops at Kirillapone are not given accident pay? (b) Will he take steps to see that this omission is rectified?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa: (a) No. Accident pay is given to any worker who is entitled to it in terms of Financial Regulation 1381. (b) Does not arise.

Subsidy to Colonists

4. Mr. C. P. de Silva asked the Minister of Lands and Land Development: (a) Is he aware that the Government undertook to pay the colonists of Minneriya, Parakrama Samudra, Giritale and Elahera a subsidy for stumping their paddy lots at the rate of Rs. 150 per acre and that this payment has not been made although the colonists have completed stumping some time back? (b) Will he see that the payments now due are made immediately and so honour the undertaking given by the Government? (c) Will he also see that the Assistant Government Agent issues to the colonists planting materials, implements, buffaloes, etc., according to the undertakings given to them when they were selected in 1951 ?

The Hon. Bulankulame Dissawa : (a) An undertaking was given by Government that a subsidy not exceeding Rs. 200 per acre would be made to colonists for stumping those portions of their paddy lots not departmentally stumped. A sum of Rs. 796,584 has already been paid to the colonists at Parakrama Samudra, Minneriya and Giritale on this account up to the end of September, 1952. (b) Payment will be made as early as possible. (c) Whatever planting materials were available have been issued to the colonists. Any balance due will be issued as