by Government of Co-operative Credit Societies throughout 

 the country districts to rescue the villagers from the grip 

 of the usurer. The agriculturist often mortgages his land 

 or his implements to raise money from the Coast Moor 

 Trader to buy seed paddy. l 



Efforts were also made by leading men 2 to lay before 

 the permanent population the desirability of effectively 

 competing \vith the Coast Moors so as to reduce the high 

 prices charged by growing locally what is imported, and 

 thus ultimately securing the trade. In the large towns, 

 such as Colombo, there are some Coast Moormen who have 

 become wealthy. Some are tindals or ships' chandlers, and 

 are employers of labour. These labourers are Coast Moor 

 coolies, strong, hardy men, engaged in loading and unload- 

 ing cargo at the wharves and harbour. 



(b) In this state of feeling a dispute arose between 

 the Coast Moors and the Buddhist Temple authorities of 

 Wallahagoda Dewala, in Gampola, an ancient capital of 

 the Island, a few miles from Kandy. The Coast Moormen 

 objected to the annual Buddhist Perahera Procession pro- 

 ceeding past their Mosque with elephants, banners, tom- 

 toms, music, etc. The Buddhist authorities offered to con- 

 form to any requirements of the Coast Moor Mosque Trus- 

 tees with regard to the day and hour of the procession, so 

 as not to disturb their worship, but the former claimed the 

 right to conduct the procession without ceasing the music 

 past the Mosque, which was along the Buddhists' " Sacred 

 Way." This they claimed as an essential rite of the Esala 

 Perahera Procession and as a privilege they had exercised 

 from time immemorial, safeguarded by the terms of the 

 Kandy an Convention of 1815. The Coast Moormen de- 

 clined to allow the Perahera Procession to proceed with 

 music past the Mosque at any time or on any day of the 

 week. The Trustees of other and older Mosques along the 

 same route belonging to Ceylon Moors never objected. 

 The Government Agent of the Central Province, who was 



1. The Coast Moor Trader usually arrives from India without any capital, 

 and borrows from the Chetty money-lender in Colombo and starts 

 business in a village or town. 



2. The Hon. Mr. K. BALSINOHAM, Second Tamil Member in the Ceylon 

 Legislative Council, was one of the leaders of this movement. 



