• Help trace my family

• Alcohol and smoking ban

• That young hero

• My friend Mr. X

  
  
  Help trace my family

I am trying to trace my family members who lived in Kandy around 1895. My father Clifford Dunsford was born on 25.07.1895 in Kandy to Edward Dunsford and his wife's name is unknown.

Edward Dunsford was a medical doctor. There was also Douglas George Dunsford, a planter and a George Dunsford railway guard. There are Dunsfords presently living in Colombo but they can't help.

I have tried the various government departments, they can't help, either records destroyed etc. I will gladly pay the expenses incurred in the search for information. I do need any help you can possibly give.

by Cliff Dunsford, Australia.

Alcohol and smoking ban

I have watched with amusement the cause espoused by the JHU vis a vis the "Alcohol and Cigarette Control" legislation now in parliament.

Smoking is voluntary and legal, it is however harmful to health, that is known. I cannot understand why such a song and dance is being made about cigarettes, as there are more harmful, toxic and noxious substances being emitted to the air that we all breathe, by vehicle exhausts, garbage burning and other waste and industrial fires. I feel that priority should be given to what is more dangerous and uncontrolled than what is controlled and its inherent danger understood. There is also the widespread use of narcotics and betel chewing that is more hazardous than smoking.

Given that Sri Lanka has a very high rate of per capita alcohol consumption, it is understandable that something should be done about reducing its adverse effects. But what is astounding is that currently 67 per cent (up from 62 per cent, since last year), of the gross total consumption is the illicit alcohol or kasippu. So in effect promoting more controls on the legally available spirits and soft alcohol products encourages the illicit alcohol trade.

Given this scenario it is confounding to understand why the JHU is promoting something that brings a benefit to the illegal, more lucrative and dangerous aspects of this trade.

I am not sure whether the JHU is fully aware of the implications or is it merely a smokescreen. I dare not hazard any guesses as to who does actually benefit by these additional controls and the spin offs to the kasippu trade.

by D. M. Balasuriya, Moratuwa.

That young hero

It was the height of the southern insurgency. Buses were burnt. Business houses set on fire. Trains and buses set aflame. Professors, principals, teachers, parliamentarians - grama niladharis were shot dead in cold blood. Schools were forcibly closed. Train drivers were ordered not to run trains.

Those who disobeyed were stabbed. People were warned not to buy newspapers. They were sold at Police stations. A blackout was enforced. Lights had to be switched off at six. Army personnel were ordered to vacate their posts. The nation was in shock. Near anarchy prevailed. The country was in the grip of southern terror.

At this time a Sergeant - Major attached to the Sri Lanka Engineers was living in Kuda Payagala - close to the Aluthgama-Colombo rail track, with his five year old son. It was customary for this boy to stand near the railway line and wave to his father on the train.

As usual on this day, the boy was standing near the rail-track to wave to his father. He happened to glance at the rail-track. He noticed something unusual. The railway line has been disconnected. This small child realised that his father was in danger. He ran home calling to his mother. He saw a red-jacket on the clothes line. He snatched it and ran back to the track, waving the jacket-which served as a flag. He stood right in the centre of the track. The Colombo train has left the station and was moving-gaining speed. Soon the train would be passing the point of danger.

The driver saw the child, with a waving flag and brought the train to a screeching halt-inches away from the boy. The driver and the guard noticed the disconnected rail track. The train did not proceed further. The boy had saved hundreds of office workers from sure death. But the boy who was responsible for averting a major disaster was forgotten.

Though it was the talk of the town for some weeks, it was soon forgotten.

Threatening messages and phone calls were received by the family from the insurgents. They were forced to seek refuge at Army Headquarters, Lieutant Dezza - the boy - now a Lieutenant in the Army - an unsung hero - was forgotten.

by D. M. Victor E. Peiris, Kalamulla.

My friend Mr. X

I wonder how many stories I have heard and read about behaviour of friends in different environments but I never heard a story similar to the story which Mr. X has told me recently. Here it is for the benefit of the readers of Sunday Observer.

One evening Mr. X was relaxing at home. Suddenly it crossed his mind a friend who worked with him many years together. His friend had a successful career. He faired well in the Limited Competitive exam for the promotion to Sri Lanka Administrative Service (S.L.A.S) and was posted to a Government Department as a Assistant Director. " I telephoned him. Luckily he was at home at that time" Mr. X stated.

As they were very good friends Mr. X spoke to him in Sinhala and asked him how the retired life was progressing. Mr. X was astonished. His friend replied in English to say as his house was very close to the Galle Road, disturbances from vehicles plying on were a hindarance to the telephone conversation. Mr. X had the presence of mind and switched on to English and continued to speak.

It was a miracle. His friend had no more disturbances all vanished. The intention of Mr. X's friend was to show that he was thoroughly proficient in English, after the promotion. In the course of his conversation he had told his friend that a was written by him and it was available in book shops. "Oh, is it in Sinhala? If so, it doesn't matter to me. I don't read Sinhala books". Retorted his friend inflicting humiliation on Mr. X.

"That telephone conversation tormented me immensely and it instigated me to telephone one of my former bosses whom I worked under" Mr. X told me.

"My boss was a Head of a Government Department and now retired.A special quality there my boss had was that he read a lot. He was a voracious reader. As he received his Education in English he read much in English. I telephoned him and it was answered by a lady. She asked my name and from where I was speaking. I gave the required information. Then the lady added her husband had gone out and it will be intimated to him on his return", Mr. X narrated what he did in tension?

About 5.30 p.m Mr. X's telephone was ringing and he attended to it. "You believe it, the call was from my former boss. He spoke to me in Sinhala, very friendly. I kindly asked him whether he could remember me". Mr. X told how the conversation started. His answer was prompt and genuine.

"Why not? You who took much interest in trade union work and also Welfare work of your brother officers and mentioned many things what he could remember. My eyes were wet with tears. Actually, he was paying me tribute for the extracurricular activities I had done. Casually I said that I had written a novel in Sinhala and mentioned the name of the book and bookshops where it was available.

He was delighted. He added I will buy five books, four books of them i will give to my friends with my comments about the writer. I shall keep other book for me" Mr. X explained in detail.

At last Mr. X told that he had a good plot to write a new novel based on education, breeding and discernment Talagala.

by Sumathipala Udugamakorala