N.E. Weerasooria ( 1895 – 1974):lawyer with wide interests

(Excerpted from Selected Journalism by HAJ Hulugalle)

Norman Edward Weerasooria was the youngest of the three sons of Mudaliyar Weerasooria who came of an old Kandyan family. “F. E.” was a much-loved doctor and “D. E.” a proctor with many irons in the fire. One sister married C. W. W. Kannangara, several times a Minister, and the other was the wife of Charles Batuvantudawe, son of the oriental scholar, and himself a Minister in the State Council for a short time.

“Normie” as he was always called even by men much younger than himself, had a brilliant career at the Royal College, taking first classes and exhibitions in the Junior and Senior Cambridge Local Examinations. He just missed the Government University Scholarship which was then awarded to a classics student and a science student for further studies in England.

Even as a student he wielded a fluent pen and contributed an amusing column to the “Daily News” under the closely guarded pseudonym of “Fjjik”. He was also one of wittiest of after-dinner speakers and his services were keenly sought for post-prandial occasions.

He did not have to wait long for briefs at the Bar because he had many friends who knew his value as a sound lawyer. Although he enjoyed his visits to the outstations, he later restricted his practice largely to the Appeal Courts. This was in the hey-day of H. V. Perera, probably the greatest appeal court lawyer Ceylon ever had, even if we do not forget such men as Dornhorst, Ramanathan and Walter Pereira.

‘Normie’ was soon H.V.’s opposite number in many a case especially when they were both leading ‘silks’. He often complained that these encounters were unnecessarily exhausting. Anyone pitted against H. V. had not only to know his case thoroughly but be prepared for the surprises that came from his fertile mind. Life would have been easier for his colleagues and rivals had H.V. been less brilliant. But ‘Normie had a way of winning the sympathy of the judges. He was a special favourite of Sir Thomas de Sampayo who had a habit of sometimes raising his wig at one end with a pencil and scratching his completely bald head.

Others will be able to say more than I can about ‘Normie’s’ achievements at the Bar but, it will be agreed that, in his quiet way he was a fighter, and one whom H. V. Perera considered a foe worthy of his steel. He was sounded more than once for a seat on the Supreme Court Bench but he consistently resisted the temptation of the dignified seclusion which the office involved.

‘Normie’ had many other interests in life than the law. He, was a director of many companies, including a newspaper group. He lived in Kotte in a modest house with a large garden. His friends, and the proctors and clients who needed his services, made the journey and were happy to do so. Isolated from the heat and turmoil of city life, he was perfectly relaxed in his home surroundings and was always a charming host. He was devoted to his family and after his wife’s death his children were his special care.

He helped many a lame dog over a stile and his wisdom and judgment were always at the disposal of those who went to him with a problem. I myself first came to know him more than 50 years ago when I was a law student. He had recently passed out as an advocate and had a small kindergarten of students whom he was willing to ‘coach’ free, gratis and for nothing. He felt adequately rewarded when we got through our final examination without much difficulty.

This early acquaintance developed into a long-standing friendship and while be was steadily making his way to the top at the Bar we had much fun in several joint enterprises. After the first editors of The Ceylon Law Recorder died, we ran it for several years as it were on a shoestring. We helped to start the Saman Press with assistance from the Asia Foundation.

One of the chief educational needs at the time was an ample supply of books of quality in the local languages at prices within the reach of men of middle and low income. The Saman press made a substantial contribution toward filling some of these gaps. During the period September 1955 to February, 1961 it had printed some 660,000 volumes, including 49 reprints. It was often said that the work of the Saman Press had helped to raise the standard of production by other publishers and printers in Ceylon.

Between the two of us we wrote and published “The Small Man and His Money” by Norman Herbert, which ran into three editions. There were other projects, which need not be recounted here but they all show that ‘Normie’ had varied interests and unselfish ambitions and never sought recognition or reward for these extra curricula activities

(First published in May 1974)