168 



COLOMBO. 



[Part VII. 



Governor can over-rule their deliberations, and their 

 labours may be nullified by the interposition of his 

 veto. 



The most important duties of the Legislative Council 

 are necessarily those which involve the expenditure of 

 an annual revenue, wliich of late years has exceeded 

 half a million sterhng. So far as that income is drawn 

 from land and its produce, although much that was 

 unjust and vexatious in the mode of its collection has 

 been modified or removed since the estabhshment of the 

 British authority, the system in its main features is still 

 identifiable ivith that which was organised by the Portu- 

 guese and perpetuated by the Dutch. ^ 



By the policy of both these nations, one legitimate 

 source of income was stifled ; since by ignoring foreign 

 trade they deprived themselves of customs' duties ^ and 

 port charges which, owing to the judicious reforms of 

 Viscount Torrington in 1847, yield at the present day 

 nearly one-third of the whole receipts of the colony. 



The rents and proceeds from the sales of land cleared 

 for coffee cultivation and other purposes, form another 

 resource altogether unknoAvn to the Dutch, and even to 



^ Tlie results of an examination 

 into tlie various sources of revenue in 

 Ceylon, and their influence upon the 

 industry and trade of the island, will 



be found in the Repoti of Sir J. 

 Emerson Tenijent, on the Finances 

 and Commerce of Ceylon, presented to 

 Pai-liament in 1848. 



* The following table exhibits the several soiu'ces of Ceylon Revenue for 

 the year ending 31st December, 1857 : — 



Customs' port and harbour dues 

 Land sales and rents _ _ . 



Pearl fisheiy - _ _ . 



Chanks - _ _ _ _ 



Salt _ 



Distillation and sale of arrack and spirits 

 Tax on rice, fine grain, and gardens - 

 Tolls at bridges and ferries - - - 



Stamps _ _ _ > . 



Postage _ _ _ _ - 



Taxes on carnages and carriers 

 Royalties and miscellaneous receipts - 

 Police tax - - - _ - 



Sale of stores, stoppages, and reimbursements 



d. 

 



8i 



6 







n 



5 



I' 



1 



f 



8 

 1 



