ODYSSEY OF A RUNAWAY CHILD - GALLE TO AUSTRALIA'S GOLDFIELDS AND BEYOND By MANOURI P. SENANAYAKE An Author publication 2018

The splendid book entitled: " Odyssey of a Runaway child " subtitled : " Galle to Australia Goldfields and Beyond " by that renowned pediatrician  Prof.  Manouri P Senanayake -an author publication is a labour of love  in digging out or tracing once roots and placing them on record for posterity.

This reviewer finds that the opus is a treatise of laborious research which spans into fifteen chapters where the thirteenth chapter has dealt on the references used , the fifteenth chapter on the galaxy of photographs which takes the reader on a  trek to the days of yore. 

The Vidana Arachchi Don Andreis de Silva Goonawardene is the earliest ascendant traced, who was the Vidana Arachchi in the division of the Galu Kadavath Sathara or the Four Gravets of Galle. (Dr.Wickrama Weerasooria’s “Links between Sri Lanka and Australia” Government press 1988 at page 219 contains a short account on ‘Don Saranealis Gunawardene) For the meaning of the word kadavatu vide: at page 78 and gravet vide: at      page 92 S.A.W.Mottau’s Glossary of terms used in official correspondence of the Government of Sri Lanka compiled from records at the National Archives. Sri Lanka Archives volume 3, 1985-6 edited by G.P.S.H. de Silva. What were the four Gravets or Kadavatha’s of Galle? One could glean some information only from the book on the toponymy of the four Gravets of Galle. viz. Gallé Grama Nama Saha ehi withti (in Sinhalese) i.e. Galle’s village names and the information found thereto. by Prof. Bandusena Gunasekera 1976 first edition by Gunasena publishers second edition by Godage publishers in 2009. The four gravets were viz. Kadavatha bridge of Magalle Gintota bridge, Bataduwa and Batawantudawa or Kadawathagoda. The error that has seeped in Prof. Gunasekera’s book (vide: page 50) is that the Fort is identified as a gravet point.

The first chapter of the book is titled: “Galle in its Heydays”,  “Gold in Malacca and Lead in Galle” bespeaks of the truism of the saying thus that prevailed when the Galle harbour was in its pristine glory. Galle harbour was the main port of call in the island. The breakwater of the Colombo harbour was completed only in 1895. By the June 1882 the steamers of the P.O.Company decided to berth at the Colombo harbour. The days where the seasonal winds played a vital role in sea travel the Galle harbour continued to serve as its pride of place.

The Port Surgeon’s Report for 1922 and 1923 sheds light to the hive of activity in the Galle Harbour at that time. Thus: “During 1923, 139 steamers and 20 native crafts arrived at this Port as against 126 and 23 in the previous year. 90 steamers were granted free pratique ana 49 placed in simple quarantine as against and in the previous year. (vide: pages 50-3 chapter 8) Great Days - Memoirs of a Ceylon Government Medical Officer of 1918 P.R.C. Peterson compiled and edited by Manel Fonseka published by the Social Scientists  Association (2001) 2004. Richard Boyle wrote that excellent account in the chapter 8 titled “Galle in its Heydays” in his book titled: Sinbad in Serandib published by Visidunu prakasakayo in 2008.

The second chapter the author has titled: “Growing Up in Colonial Galle” The following books linger in the memory of this reviewer. Thus: Dorothy Bartholomeuz’s autobiography titled “Ceylon As, I Knew” Government printer 1987, Prof  E.F.C (Lyn) Ludowyk’s entitled: “Those Long Afternoons - Childhood days in Colonial Ceylon-Lake House Book shop 1989 an autobiography inimitably written in a reticent style posthumously was published by Dr.H.A.I.Goonetileke ‘Galle As Quiet As Asleep’ authored by Norah Roberts, which was originally published by Aitken Spence printers in 1994 reprinted by Vijitha Yapa in D.T.Devendra’s autobiography entitled “ The Way We Grew - Open wide, the windows of the mind” by Sridevi publishers 2001, Dr. C.G.Uragoda’s memoir - entitled: “Sri Lanka Then and Now,” Sridevi publishers 2003. All these books are on the growing up in colonial Galle.  Ananda Dias Jayasinha’s “The Forgotten History of the Richmond College Galle published in 2014 by the author which won the State Literary award is also a magnificent research work on colonial Galle.

There are also several books in Sinhalese. They are viz: Galu Ithihasaya written by E.V.G. William in 1967 an author publication, Galupuranaya (Ancient Galle) by Prof. K.D. Paranavitane Godage publishers 1991, and Galu Korale Jana Kavi (The Folk Verses of the Galle’s Korale) by Norman Siripala, Samanthi publishers, 2010.

Chapter 8 titled : “Messers Chas. P. Hayley & Co. “found from pages 53 to 62 merits comments of this reviewer. At page 54-5 the author mentions about an oil painting of the ship the Percy Douglas landed in the Galle Harbour. in which was Chas. P.Hayley arrived. This reviewer claims that he is an eye witness of seeing an oil painting of the ship the Percy Douglas found in the room the Galle’s General Manager Jagath Dahanayake at the ‘Hayley House as Pedlar Street Fort Galle in the 1980’s. At page 55 the author states the Post Master General’s daughter Gertrude Fanny Lee was married to Chas.P.Hayley. The name of the Post Master General was George Lee. Chas P. Hayley and Gertrude Fanny Lee’s weddings was solemnized at the All Saints’ Church Fort Galle. At page 56 the author states that “Charles’ sister Adelaide followed him to Ceylon and kept home for him, until she married an English widower planting sugar cane and settled in Baddegama 15 miles from Galle.”  The sugar cane planter referred to undoubtedly is a relative George Winter. Their estate was Pilagodaweli Estate. What whetted the curiosity of this reviewer is that at pages 201-203 of the book titled: List of Inscriptions on Tombstones and Memorials in Ceylon by J. Penry Lewis published in 1913 by the Government printer H.C.Cottle.  Lewis at page 141 serial number 447 cites Lionel Frederick Lee, Treasurer of this Colony, CCS, from the General Cemetery, Colombo died on December 4^th 1899 who was the son of George Lee CCS 1831-1860, Post Master General 1844 - 1860, married Ellen Annie 4^th daughter of Robert Wright, Henry Austin Lee another son of George Lee of the Foreign Office who was married to Martha Austin.

Lewis at P171 serial No.556 cities under George Winter who married Sarah Creasy their 4^th (twin) daughter Lydia Septima baptized at the All Saints church Galle on April 4, 1836 has got married to Haverstock Hodsoll  Bowman on January 6 1858, and had dided on September 27, 1868. Lydia Septima Bowman was buried in the Baddegama churchyard. Her husband’s second marriage was to Adelaide Bourbon Hayley (born on April 10^th 1838) daughter from the first wife of Thomas Harrop Hayley of Castleford and Juliana Robinson. Thoma Harrop was the born of William Hayley and Catherina Harrop. Bowmans were partners to Winters in the sugar estate. (vide: also at page 203, serial No. 738 on Baddegama churchyard Lewis supra)

However, Samson Abeysooriya’s Whose Who of Ceylon third edition 1928 (page 90) supports some material adduced by Prof. Manouri   P. Senanayake in her book and has stated that Gertrude Lee was the sister of Lionel F. Lee and the daughter of George Lee. Prof. Manouri P. Senanayake’s erudite discourse has advanced our knowledge on the social history of Galle.

Another Gallean associated with the Chas.P.Hayley & Co. was Muhandiram F.A.Wickremasinghe the Chandos street of Galle Fort where he lived, was named after him. He was instrumental in bestowing to Galle as a Buddhist philanthropist, the Sri Sudarmalaya Maha Viharaya in Galle Fort, the All Saint’s boarding as the YMBA building in the Light House street and also for starting the Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya in Wackwella road, a premier girls’ school in Galle today.

Dr.Janaka Goonetileke’s book entitled ‘Atapattu Walawwa’ published by Atapattu Walawwa 2012 was reviewed by this reviewer  in the Daily Mirror October 16, 2012, A13, The Daily News Artscope November 21, 2012 page 12, The Nation October 28, 2012 Fine page 6, figure 2 of the said book, contains a rare photograph of Abraham Dias Abeysinghe’s wedding to Eva Tagora Gooneratne is undoubtedly one of the very few rare photograph of the elitist govigama prominent celebrations  in 1903 found from Galle was published in Dr. Goonatileke’s opus.

The only other known elitist karawa wedding ceremony recorded from Galle is found in Norah Robert’s book entitled: “Galle As Quiet As Asleep” (page 404) where that affluent aristocrat Charles Henry Soysa’s son Arthur Soysa’s bethrothal to Regina Perera Abeywardene of ‘Closenberg fame’ at the All Saint’s Church of Galle which was reported in “London Daily Graphic” on March 2, 1899.

From her book Prof. Manouri P. Senanayaka has furnished us with two Galle govigama wedding photographs one in 1915 (vide: at page 105) and the other Gamagey Elena and Don Saranelis Goonewardene in 1910 (vide: at page 115) This reviewer wishes the location of these photographs were identified by the writer in the interest of the readers.  All of them are indeed remarkable landmarks in the heydays of Galle. 

Chapter 10 ‘Southern Transport Company Changes Hands’  at page 76 refer to Jack Steiger in Galle in 1937. This reviewer has learnt that he was a German in nationality, stout, flabby in appearance who lived in the ‘Hayley’s Residence’ which was burnt down during the 1971 insurrection in Middle street far end close to the present Army camp. He was buried in the All Saint’s cemetery Talbot town Galle.

At page 77 F.A.Hayley is found in Dr. A.R.B.Amerasinghe’s The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka-first 185 years by vishvākvalekha publishers in 1986. F.A.Hayley left Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) on 6^th June 1960  where the valedictory photograph is found at the Colombo Law Library. An oil painting of his was unveiled at the Colombo Law Library (date is unknown) probably after his death and after the reference made by the Supreme Court. The most salient lapses as this reviewer observes on this excellent account is that the Arnold Wright’s    (editor) Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon Lloyd’s G.B.publishing Co.Ltd.1907 A.E.S. New Delhi 1999 has   not been consulted by the erudite writer for her learned treatise.

Prof. Manouri P.Senanayake’s epoch making opus titled: " Odyssey of a Runaway child " subtitled : " Galle to Australia Goldfields and Beyond " by that renowned pediatrician has introduced the only known Vidana Arachchi of Galle from the yore. This is a ‘must’ read for all who have a deep abiding penchant on the social history of Galle. We Galleans owe a debt of account to the writer for her well researched work on a part of history on Galle.

    

A Nice Burgher Girl By Jean Arasanaygam published by Social Scientist Association Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

Grandfather's Letters Edited by C Anjalendran Reviewed by Hemantha Situge Published by Perera and Hussein 2018

DS The Life of D, S . Senanayake ( 1884-1952) SRI LANKA'S FIRST PRIME MINISTER 1948-52 A POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

NINETEENTH CENTURY POETICAL WORKS AND SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS BY VEN. OLAGANWATTE CHANDRASIRI PUBLISHED BY VIJITHA YAPA PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

FINDING SINHABAHU -An analysis of the early history of Sri Lanka documented in Ancient Chronicles By Dr Ajith Amerasinghe Published by Vijitha Yapa publications March 2019 REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

Tracing Dawkins’ root to Lanka By Hemantha Situge The Daily Mirror Monday 8th April 2019 at page A11

http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/Tracing-Dawkins%E2%80%99-root-to-Lanka/172-165162

Tracing Dawkins’ root to Lanka By Hemantha Situge The Daily Mirror Monday 8th April 2019 at page A11

Tracing Dawkins’ root to Lanka

8 April 2019 12:20 am - 0      - 93

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How world renowned evolutionary Biologist and self proclaimed Agnostic Prof Richard Dawkins traces his roots in his recently published memoirs

• Prof. Richard Dawkins has many salient connections with Sri Lanka 
• Grandfather Alan Wilfred Ladner fondly was a Wireless Engineer at Marconi, arrived in Ceylon during WWI

The Sri Lankan born Jean Mary Vyvyan Ladner the mother of the well-known Oxford Scientist, an indefatigable champion of Darwinism, Richard Dawkins’s turned one hundred years latter part of 2018. She lives the eve of her life, in Chipping Norton near Oxford in the United Kingdom.
Richard Dawkins has many salient connections with Sri Lanka. His Cornish maternal grandfather Alan Wilfred Ladner fondly known as Bill was a Wireless Engineer employed by Guglielmo Marconi, who arrived in Ceylon (as it was known now Sri Lanka) in 1914 at the First World War. 

As Richard Dawkins recounts in the first chapter: Genes and pith helmets of his memoir  An Appetite For Wonder. The Making of a Scientist that :
“Bill Ladner’s skills as a radio engineer were in demand, and he was sent to the Royal Navy as a smart young officer to the southern tip of what was then Ceylon to build a radio station at that strategically vital staging post in the empire’s shipping lines”
The southern tip mentioned by Richard Dawkins is Matara, where he was stationed in Ceylon for four years. Connie Wearne, the grandmother of Richard or the fiancée of Bill followed him out where she stayed in a local vicarage, from which they were married.
Richard Dawkins also asserts that: “My mother, Jean Mary Vyvyan Ladner, was born in Colombo in 1916” Dawkins mother was born in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo 07 and spent her first two years of her life at Matara. 

Whilst their sojourn in Matara, Richard’s mother was looked after by a Sinhalese nanny by the name of Hinne Hami Wickramaratne.
100 year old, Richard’s mother Jean still pines for her nanny.
Richard’s grandfather Bill is acclaimed as one of the early photographers in Ceylon.
Bill captured many photographs of the Southern Ceylon. Richard Dawkins sister Sarah Kettlewell possesses an album of about forty rare photographs of the war-torn picture-prohibited Southern Ceylon of the by-gone days.
Coincidentally Sarah’s husband Michael Kettlewell was a distinguished Surgeon and an Oxford academic, who supervised many postgraduate students from Sri Lanka. During the war, his father Dick Kettlewell served in Anuradhapura.

Did Richard Dawkins’s grandfather Bill Ladner was assigned by the British Government to install the earliest known radio station in Ceylon at the southern tip of Ceylon – Matara?
Richard Dawkins memoir publishes a rare photograph of a group of Naval officers sent to Ceylon where his maternal grandfather Bill Ladner seated third from the left, assists to build a wireless station during the First World War, together with turbaned bearded Indian Gurkha regiment in the background in an identified location under an unknown banyan tree.
Richard also carries a photograph of his grandmother Connie together with the dog, who is found in the same group photograph.
Richard poses the query: “Was the dog station mascot? It seems to be the same dog my grandmother is petting.”
When the war was over in 1919 the Dawkins memoir also states that: “The family returned to England when my mother was three”, and publishes a photograph when she was three years of age.
Coincidentally Sri Lankan born 100-year-old mother Jean’s son, legendary Richard Dawkins was honoured by well-famed Sri Lankan Ichthyologist Rohan Pethiyagoda who created Dawkinsia as a new genus name, ‘In recognition of his contribution to the public understanding of evolutionary science.’ 

 

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THE ODYSSEY AND LIVING LEGACY OF SIEUR DE LA NEROLLE BY YASMIN RAJAPAKSE PUBLISHED BY THE NEPTUNE PUBLICATIONS (Pvt) Ltd 2018 REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

THE MAKING OF A HISTORIAN A MEMOIR BY K M DE SILVA PUBLISHED BY INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ETHNIC STUDIES KANDY 2017 REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

DR RICHARD DAWKINS'S SRI LANKAN CONNECTION WITH THE SRI LANKAN BORN MOTHER DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

                                          Dr Richard Dawkins with his mother Jean Mary Vyvyan Ladner

The Sri Lankan born Jean Mary Vyvyan Ladner the mother of the well-known Oxford Scientist, an indefatigable champion of Darwinism, Richard Dawkins’s turned hundred years latter part of 2016. She lives the eve of her life, in Chipping Norton near Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Richard Dawkins has many salient connections with Sri Lanka. His Cornish maternal grandfather Alan Wilfred Ladner fondly known as ‘Bill’ was a wireless Engineer employed by Guglielmo Marconi , who arrived Ceylon (as it was known now Sri Lanka) in 1914 at the First World War.

As Richard Dawkins recounts in the first chapter : ‘Genes and pith helmets’ of his memoir “An Appetite For Wonder. The Making of a Scientist” that :

“Bill Ladner’s skills as a radio engineer were in demand, and he was sent to the Royal Navy as a smart young officer to the southern tip of what was then Ceylon to build a radio station at that strategically vital staging post in the empire’s shipping lines” The southern tip mentioned by Richard Dawkins is Matara where he was stationed in Ceylon for 4 years. Connie Wearne grandmother, of Richard or the fiancée of ‘Bill’ followed him out ‘where she stayed in a local vicarage, from which they were married’.

Richard Dawkins also asserts that : “My mother, Jean Mary Vyvyan Ladner, was born in Colombo in 1916” Dawkins mother was born in Cinnamon gardens, Colombo 07 and spent her first two years of her life at Matara.

Whilst their sojourn in Matara Richard’s mother was looked after by a Sinhalese nanny by the name of Hinne Hami Wickramaratne. 100 year old, Richard’s mother Jean still pines for her nanny.

Richard’s grandfather ‘Bill’ is acclaimed as one of the early photographers in Ceylon. Bill capture many photographs of the Southern Ceylon. Richard Dawkins sister Sarah Kettlewell possesses an album of about forty rare photographs of the war-torn picture prohibited Southern Ceylon of the by-gone days. Coincidentally Sarah’s husband Michael Kettlewell was a distinguished Surgeon and an Oxford academic who supervised many post graduate students from Sri Lanka. During the war his father Dick Kettlewell served in Anuradhapura.

Did Richard Dawkins’s grandfather ‘Bill’ Ladner was assigned by the British government to install the earliest known radio station in Ceylon at the southern tip of Ceylon – Matara ?

Richard Dawkins memoir publishes a rare photograph of a group of naval officers sent to Ceylon where his maternal grandfather ‘Bill’ Ladner seated third from the left, assists to build a wireless station during the First World War, together with turbaned bearded Indian Seikh gurkha regiment in the background in an identified location under an unknown banyan tree.

Richard also carries a photograph of his grandmother Connie together with the dog, who is found in the same group photograph. Richard poses the querry that : “Was the dog station mascot? It seems to be the same dog my grandmother is petting.” When the war was over in 1919 the Dawkins memoir also states that : “The family returned to England when my mother was three”, publishes a photograph when she was three years of age.

Coincidentally Sri Lankan born 100 year old mother Jean’s son legendary Richard Dawkins was honoured by well-famed Sri Lankan ichthyologist Rohan Pethiyagoda who created Dawkinsia as a new genus name, ‘in recognition of his contribution to the public understanding of evolutionary science.’

BOOKS ON MORATUWA BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

Don Martino De Zylwa Wickremasinghe in his Catalogue of the  Sinhalese Printed Books in the library of the British Museum 1901 MORATUGAMA-HATANAYA -A satirical poem against the establishment of the Gam Sabhawa "village tribunal"at Moratuwa, Colombo 1886 catalogued as 14165 .

Dharmmika Upasaka samagama Amurtha Warshawa A Buddhhist Tract issued monthly by the " Dharmmika Upasaka society " 1893

Holy Emmanuel Church Report of the Sunday School in connection with the for 1891 Colombo 1892 pp18 contains the same catalogue number.

 Former Mayor of Moratuwa Jayasumana Dharmabandhu a nephew of that reputed writer T. S. Dhrmabhandhu   ,[ his own brother Ariyadasa's son] wrote Eithihasika  Moratuwa  [History of Moratuwa ] printed at the Guneratne and Co Maradana in 1973 traced the word Moratuwa  from  the Tisara Sandesa kavyaya written in the 13 century.

BOOK REVIEW TITLE: MAHATHMA GANDHI LANKAGAMANAYA SAHA LANKEYA DESHAPALANAYA [ MAHATMA GANDHI VISIT OF CEYLON AND SRI LANKAN POLITICS ] BY SAMPATH BANDARA PUBLISHED BY SARASAVI PRAKASHAKAYO REVIEWED HEMANTHA SITUGE & ANUBUDU MIHIDU MAHAHIMI ( MIHIDHU HIGH PRIEST THE SECOND BUDDHA ) BY DR P. G . PUNCHIHEWA PUBLISHED BY SARASAVI PUBLISHERS 2018 REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

thuppahi.wordpress.com/category/buddhism

Rare Book on recovery law by Hemantha Situge,4 March 2019 ,The Daily Mirror, A11 FEATURES BOOK REVIEW TITLE : LAW RELATING TO RECOVERY OF LOANS BY BANKS ( SPECIAL PROVISIONS ) ACT NO. 4 OF 1990 AS AMENDED (SANSHODITHA 1990 ANKA 4 DARANA BENKU MAGIN PRADANAYA KARANA LADA NAYA AYA KARA GENIME (WISHESHA VIDIVIDANA PANATHATA ADALA NEETHIYA) AUTHORS: J.M.RANJITH PERERA, ATTORNEY - AT - LAW SENIOR COUNSEL - CHIEF AUTHOR & H.M.SISIRA KUMARA BANDARA ,ATTORNEY - AT - LAW, ASSISTANT AUTHOR PUBLISHED AS AN AUTHOR PUBLICATION

RAre Book on recovery law

Undoubtedly the book would serve as a vade mecum for a wide array of readership

Path-breaking opus is not a mere book it is an eminent commentary/study on the subject

 

The splendid book entitled: Law Relating To Recovery Of Loans By Banks (Special Provisions) Act No. 4 Of 1990 As Amended (Sanshoditha 1990 

Anka 4 Darana Benku Magin Pradanaya Karana Lada Naya Aya Kara Genime (Wishesha Vidividana Panathata Adala Neethiya) written in Sinhalesewas released recently.

It was way back in the year of 1938 that first book of the law in the Sinhalese language emerged entitled: ‘My Lawyer’ (Magé Neethgnayâ) written by B. J. Fernando a then Proctor of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. This book ran into several editions; in 1939 the second edition, the third edition in 1950 revised fourth edition was done by his wife Lakshmi Fernando a Proctor of the SC with a forward written by Dr Colvin R. de Silva, that eminent Advocate of the day. The book is now unheard and unknown apparently buried in the whirligig of time.
However, this was not the first occasion that law was made known to the public in the Sinhalese language. Advocate Herbert Sri Nissanka later King’s Counsel pioneered in releasing a Sinhalese journal entitled: Raja Niti (Raja Neethi) in 1925 where extracts of some of the statutes were translated into the Sinhalese language.
There was phrase coined in the legal arena as “like Silindhu” that in the double murder committed by villager Silindhu-- aptly based for the Bloomsbury Group English novel Beddegama by Leonard Woolf, that well known Colonial Civil Servant,--- stood at the Defendants dock mum, were unable to understand the happening of the Court of law where he was unaware of the procedure that he was sentenced to death. Though the Extraordinary Gazette bearing No. 1/6 dated 07th September 1978 it was allowed the use of English Language to maintain any record and conduct in any court of law in the country. The books in Sinhalese and Tamil languages have since Sri Lanka was made a Republic it became a sine qua non in our original courts of law. The reviewer finds a large number of Sinhalese law books are released day by day. Some of these books are written by Attorneys-at-Law and laymen alike. But how many of these books are written by legal practitioners.

This reviewer is of the fervent opinion that most of these books are mere compendiums. How many of these could make an impact on the legal system of the country? J. M. Ranjith Perera a Senior Counsel – a busy eminent practitioner in law ably assisted by H. M. Sisira Kumar Bandara Attorney-at-Law has filled the void that hitherto existed on one of the most abstruse parts of civil law namely the Law Relating to Debt Recovery (Special Provisions) No. 4 of 1990 as amended.

"The opus contains eight chapters. The first chapter deals on the history of parate execution. The second chapter is on the intention of the legislature. On careful perusal, it is evident that the rest of the six chapters are on the procedural aspects the book is a sine qua non a much awaited ‘nuggets of gold’ for the legal profession"

His path-breaking opus is not a mere book it is an eminent commentary/ study on the subject
It was Lord Justice Eldon once who said that: “A Lawyer should live like a hermit and work like
a horse “.
How many senior practitioners of the unofficial bar have imparted their knowledge of the practical law for the benefit of the present and the future generations of our country? The release of this book sequel to the first book titled:
“Law Relating to Debt Recovery Act No 2 of 1990” was written in Sinhalese. J.M. Ranjith Perera Senior Counsel and his Assistant Sisira Kumara Bandara has rendered yeoman services by using their wealth of knowledge for the benefit of the lawyers and the students by expending their time and energy to guide them for a sound knowledge on the subject.
It was the legendary Abraham Lincoln who once said: “A Lawyer’s Time and Advice are His Stock
in Trade “.

The country and the legal profession owe a debt of gratitude to Senior Counsel J M Ranjith Perera and his assistant H M Sisira Kumara Bandara for spearheading to release a series of books to educate the lawyers and laymen alike as they are indeed gems of wisdom to the legal profession and to the people of all walks of life alike. The reviewer learns that these books of these writers would be translated to the Tamil language to help the Tamil medium lawyers and the students shortly.
The reviewer finds a large number  of Sinhalese law books are released day by day. Some of these books are written by Attorneys-at-Law and laymen alike. But how many of these books are written by legal practitioners. This reviewer is of the fervent opinion that most of these books are mere compendiums. How many of these could make an impact on the legal system of the country?
The opus contains eight chapters. The first chapter deals on the history of parate execution. The second chapter is on the intention of the legislature. On careful perusal, it is evident that the rest of the six chapters are on the procedural aspects the book is a sine qua non a much awaited ‘nuggets of gold’ for the legal profession.

"The reviewer finds a large amount of Sinhalese law books are released day by day. Some of these books are written by Attorneys-at-Law and laymen alike. But how many of these books are written by legal practitioners. This reviewer is of the fervent opinion that most of these books are mere compendiums. How many of these could make an impact on the legal system of the country?"

J. M. Ranjith Perera a Senior Counsel – a busy eminent practitioner in law ably assisted by H. M. Sisira Kumar Bandara Attorney-at-Law has filled the void that hitherto existed on one of the most abstruse parts of civil law namely the Law Relating to Debt Recovery (Special Provisions) No. 4 of 1990 as amended. Their path-breaking opus on this statute is not a mere book it is an eminent commentary/treatise/study guide on the subject.
The reviewer read and re-read this indispensable book, found replete with thirty-eight reported and six unreported judgments pronounced by the superior Courts with an easy reference index guide culled with pertinent extracts of the Sinhalese statute and more appropriately from the English statute.
The book spans into 228 pages of pure bliss for the legal practitioner. The book contains two extracts from Hansards of the Parliament on the 1990 and 2003 bills and the debates that took place therein are found and where there were hue and outcry from the members of the Parliament introducing this statute was a draconian piece of legislation.
Senior Counsel J. M. Ranjith Perera’s treatise on ‘Law Relating to Debt Recovery Act No. 4 of 1990 as Amended’ has blazed the trail by his maiden book on this statute in not only educating the layman, law students and further for the busy legal practitioners; this reviewer advocates that the opus would be an essential guide. Undoubtedly the book would serve as a vade mecum for all this wide array of readership.

Blog- http// HemanthaSituge @blogspot.com

Rare Book on recovery law by Hemantha Situge,4 March 2019 ,The Daily Mirror, A11 FEATURESBOOK REVIEW TITLE : LAW RELATING TO RECOVERY OF LOANS BY BANKS ( SPECIAL PROVISIONS ) ACT NO. 4 OF 1990 AS AMENDED (SANSHODITHA 1990 ANKA 4 DARANA BENKU MAGIN PRADANAYA KARANA LADA NAYA AYA KARA GENIME (WISHESHA VIDIVIDANA PANATHATA ADALA NEETHIYA) AUTHORS: J.M.RANJITH PERERA, ATTORNEY - AT - LAW SENIOR COUNSEL - CHIEF AUTHOR & H.M.SISIRA KUMARA BANDARA ,ATTORNEY - AT - LAW, ASSISTANT AUTHOR PUBLISHED AS AN AUTHOR PUBLICATION

http://www.dailymirror.lk/news-features/RAre-Book-on-recovery-law/131-163254

In Praise of a great soul, Daily News, 20th February,2019 Title: Mahatma Gandhi Lankgamanaya Saha Sri Lankeya Deshapalanaya Author: Sampath Bandara, Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

http://www.dailynews.lk/search/node/in%20praise%20of%20a%20great%20soul

In praise of a great soul Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - 01:00 Print Edition T&C Title: Mahatma Gandhi Lankgamanaya Saha Sri Lankeya Deshapalanaya Author: Sampath Bandara The Daily News Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

In praise of a great soul

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - 01:00

Print Edition

T&C

Title: Mahatma Gandhi Lankgamanaya Saha Sri Lankeya Deshapalanaya

Author: Sampath Bandara

The splendid book entitled: Mahatma Gandhi - Lanka Gamanaya Saha Deshapalanaya [Mahatma Gandhi visit of Ceylon and Sri Lankan Politics] written by the well-known writer Sampath Bandara was published by the Sarasavi Prakashakayo to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was released recently.

The introduction to this magnum opus states that last November marked the completion of 90 years on Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Ceylon. On January 30, 2018, was the 70th Death Anniversary.

The reviewer had the opportunity to read and re-read this book and finds two momentous incidents to mark Gandhiji's 16-day visit from November 12 to 29, 1927. It requires to be revived.

The Na tree (Messua ferrea) planted by Mahatma Gandhi remains a protected tree under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance (Chap 567) N. 2 of 1937. SD Saparamadu, in his work ‘Sri Lanka, A Wildlife Interlude’ states:

“This tree was declared a protected tree under Section 43 schedule 6 of the Fauna Flora Ordinance in 1990.The notification the description: “Tree plant at Kotte by Mahatma Gandhi visited Sri Lanka in 1929 and the tree evidently planted during this visit. The department was not able to give any information as to the location of this tree and whether it is still standing."

Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Ceylon is evidently a lapsus calamai or lapsus pennae. The house that he lived in C Arumugam's mansion named as ‘The Arc’ in Cotta Road, Rajagiriya. The tree and the house are no more. They were evidently demolished. A part of it is occupied by garden of the Voet Inn, Sri Lanka Law College Hostel, 1163B, Cotta Road, Rajagiriya.

This reviewer could not trace any references in Mahadev Desai's ‘With Gandhiji in Ceylon’ (published by S Ganeshan, 1920) and Gopalakrishna Gandhi's ‘Gandhi and Sri Lanka 1905-1947’ about the exact day Gandhi planted this tree at the Arc.

A political biography titled ‘JR Jayewardene of Sri Lanka 1906-1956’, written by K M de Silva and Howard Higgins, records, on page 63, an incident that occurred in December, 1930.

“In the first of the incident, unveiling of a portrait of Gandhi in the premises of the Law College, Dick was at the centre of the controversy that erupted. Considering that the governing body of the Law College consisted of Supreme Court judges , and most of them British, the decision to unveil a portrait of the arch-rebel of the raj provocative; it became doubly so, and a calculated act of defiance, at a time when Gandhi was in jail. The first problem was to raise funds to pay the artist, David Paynter- a highly regarded Eurasian artist resident in the island who had been commissioned to do the portrait of Gandhi in the Law College, this financial support dried up if it did not evaporate altogether. One result of this reneging on promises of support was an acrimonious exchange of letters between the head of a prestigious firm of lawyers - a friend of EW and the Jayewardene family and Dick. Eventually it was Dick himself who made good the financial loss sustained by the refusal of established lawyers to keep their promises of money to pay for the portrait. He had saved a tidy sum of money from his salary as his father's private secretary and part of this was diverted to this purpose...

EW was a member of the governing body of the Law College. He was instrumental in preventing it from banning the unveiling ceremony. Arguing that the rebel of today is the martyr tomorrow, he pointed out that the law students had not asked for permission to hang the portrait on the wall of the College, but merely had invited them to be present at the ceremony. The portrait was unveiled by Ceylon National Congress Chairman Francis de Zoysa KC. The main speaker was CE Corea and the vote of thanks was delivered by JR Jayewardene himself who had relinquished office as his father’s private secretary.

The magnum opus also states that the portrait itself is an undistinguished piece of work. Gandhi appears there at prayer as an ascetic. The overwhelming impression is one of penitence and submission. There is nothing there of other facets of the man’s personality especially his irresistible vitality.

These incidents bear ample testimony to the fact that the charisma of Mahatma Gandhi has made a remarkable impact on Sri Lankan political arena. Sampath Bandara's book is a befitting true tribute to this unique Indian leader sui generis.

-Reviewed by Hemantha Situge

WARSHA EKDAHAS ATASIYA HETTEWE MARADANE SIDDAWUNA MARAKKALA HATANE BY NIMESHA THIVANKARA SENEVIPALA REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE PUBLISHED BY Samanthi Prakashakayo 2018

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE  : MARAKKALA HATANE

NIMESHSA THIWANKARA SENEVIPALA

PUBLISHED BY SAMANTHI PRAKASHAKAYO  

The earliest reference to the ' Marakkala Hatane " is found in Don Martino De Zylwa Wickremasinghe's Catalogue of  Sinhalese Printed Books in the Library of the British Museum   London 1901 at page 170 s ( E) as'[ Marakkala hatane a poem on certain riots with the ' Moors' i. e. foreign Mohammadan traders in Ceylon , composed by E .S. and published by P . Fernando]  pp12 [ Colombo ] 1891 . This is  about a 12 page booklet.

Dr Punchi Bandara Sannasgala in his Sinhala Sahithya Wanshaya  -History of Sinhalese Literature- 1964 [at page 593] records  the next reference and this event occurred  in as in  1876 which is evidently a lapsus calamai or lapsus pennae . He has also stated that this book contains  72 verses.

Prof Tissa Kariyawasam's 'Religious Activities and the Development of a New Poetical Tradition in Sinhalese 1852-1906' submitted to  the University of London , School of Oriental and African Studies in 1973 as his doctoral thesis which was subsequently published by Godage International in 2009  provides the third  reference on this book Thus:  [ from pages 348 to 349 of the book ]  Marakkala Hatane of E. Paulis Fernando printed in 1891. ' A young carpenter of the Karawe caste from Moratuwa eloped with a young Muslim girl in Colombo the muslims invaded the in search of the girl , and after hearing the news Muslims in all part of the island were attacked and looted by Sinhalese and the Police had to intervene for peace. The feelings of Sinhalese against Muslims were the results of the nationalistic trade policy of the Sinhalese new rich class and the poet of ' Marakkala Hatanaya' severely criticized  the Muslims on this ground.' It is very likely that Prof' Kariyawasam refers to the very same book cited by Don Martino De Zylwa Wickremasinghe above as the year of publisher and his name therein  is same. 

It is interesting  to note that this opus discovered  and introduced by Nimesha Thiwankara Senevipala contains 109 verses.

Ven Olaganwaththe Chandrasiri himi in his article titled : ' The Poetical Works and the Poetical Language during the British Period  in Sri Lanka " published in the JRAS Vol 59 part 1 2014 pages 49 to 112   in this article the writer refers to two verses at page 95 of the said article where the foot notes  196 and 197 are found at page 111 of the article. Thus ' Marakkala Hatane or Sinhalese marakkala conflict . this book was printed & published in 1870 Colombo Jambu weediya by Paulus Fernando ( composed by E .S .) No 37 Nil Weediya Colombo 1891 34 verse . ' It is per se evident that this foot note is erroneous and replete with a' printer's devil'.The foot note 197 refers to as ' ibid 58 verse ' Is this another's printer's devil ? What this reviewer could glean is that  both the verses quoted by the writer of this article  vide  : at page 95 is  found in the Nimesha Thivankara Senevipala's edition published recently This edition verse 34 is verse 33 in Senevipala's book and verse 56 is verse 55 of the same book . On a careful perusal it is evident that a part of  Don Martino De Zylwa Wickremasinghe's book is referred  to by Ven Olaganwaththe Chandrasiri himi in his foot note of his article.However, this reviewer draws  the kind attention of the readers  to  the scathing criticism levelled by this  reviewer  on this article in his blog http // Hemantha Situge @blogspot.com  Sunday dated 16th April 2017 .

 However , Ven Olaganwaththe Chandrasiri himi himself published as a Vijitha Yapa publication entitled : Nineteenth Century Poetical Works and Social Institutions of Sri Lanka "  in 2018 . This book clears up the existing situation.According to page 271 of this book the initials E. S. if found in f.n. 128 where within parenthesis Colombo : Lakmini Palaga Press ,1870 is found therein. Page 36 of the said book the author cites V Carolis Appuhamy has published Marakkala Hatana in 1891.The title of the Senevipala's book vide at page 40-1 : Marakkala Hatane hewath Sinhala Marakkala Kolahalaya 1870. The one peruse by the Ven Chandasiri  is the British museum copy for his opus. [ Per com with Ven Chandrasiri }


All evidence points out that there are  several Sinhalese books of verses as the riots erupted was a popular theme for such composition .   

      

THE GIANTS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION OF THE PAST : REMINISCENCES AND ANECDOTES BY SRIYAN DE SILVA PUBLISHED BY THE EMPLOYERS FEDERATION OF SRI LANKA 2019 REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

HUMANITARIAN OPERATION FACTUAL ANALYSIS JULY 2006 - MAY 2009 PUBLISHED BY THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE JULY 2011 REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

REVIEW OF THE HUMANITARIAN OPERATION FACTUAL ANALYSIS REPORT

REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

This report was released in 2011 , compels some comments of this reviewer.The report contains no ISBN or ISSN number.

PROFESSOR K . D. PARANAVITANA FELICITATION VOLUME GODAGE PUBLISHERS 2019 LAUNCHED AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AUDITORIUM ON 31st January 2019