Sandika Madushan

Fifty Years' Achievements
By Y.M.B.A.

THE Prime Minister, Mr. D.S. Senanayake, laid the foundation stone of the new hall of the Young Men's Buddhist Association at Borella yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering.

He was welcomed on arrival by Sir Ernest de Silva, President of the Y.M.B.A., and members of the Committee, while a bevy of girls sang the "Jayemangala Gatha."

Sir Ernest de Silva said that the Y.M.B.A. had been in existence for nearly half a century and during that period it had done very valuable work for the benefit of the Buddhists of Ceylon. He regretted, however, to observe that "many of the prominent and highly placed Buddhists of this country did not take very much interest in that Association." It was a pity, indeed, that it should be so.

Sir Ernest referred to the proposed establishment of a branch of that Association in the Fort, and said that he had just been told that it might be possible to obtain a site near the Lotus Road. It was valuable land, and if they succeeded in persuading the Minister of Agriculture and Lands to part with the land, he was sure the Association would receive the necessary support from a great many of those who had been hitherto lukewarm in their interest in the Association's activities.

Sir Ernest next referring to the Premier said that he admired Mr. Senanayake's courage.

TEST OF CIVILIZED LIFE

"We here represent the middle-class of the Buddhists and we do not find many highly placed and intellectual men visiting us here, but we, in our poor way, are trying to do our duty by our weaker brethren," Sir Ernest went on, and referred to the night school conducted by the Association and the other projects it had in view to help the poorer sections of the community. "We must admit," he said, "that the test of civilised life in a country lies in the quality of its poorest people. We are abjectly poor and it is up to men like Mr. Senanayake to do everything that is possible for the uplift of the people."

Mr. Senanayake, in the course of his address, said he confessed that he was guilty of the charge made by Sir Ernest de Silva, in that, having been a Vice-president of the Association and a member for a very long time, he should certainly have "taken a greater interest in its work than he had been able to do." But he begged of them not to think for a moment that because he had not taken an active interest in the work of the Association, it was due to lack of appreciation of the good work done by them, or that it was due to a lack of sense of duty he owed the Buddhist public.

Mr. Senanayake expressed on behalf of the Association their gratitude to Senator Cyril de Zoyza who had undertaken to build that hall.

Mr. V. S. Nanayakkara, General Secretary of the Association, thanked the Prime Minister and also paid a tribute to the founder, the late Sir Baron Jayatilaka.

A recital followed, in the course of which Sunil Shanti, the popular vocalist, gave a song recital, accompanied by his party.