Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1936. THE STATUS OF MALTA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 280, 8 September 1936, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1936. THE STATUS OF MALTA.

The bitter attack on Britain made by the Fascist press in Rome serves to justify, at any rate to a great extent, the recent reduction of the status of Malta to that of a Crown Colony, after suspension of the Constitution for almost two years. The latter step was taken by the Governor because the Nationalist Government had not shown itself prepared to comply with the policy of the British Government in respect of the administration of affairs in the island. The Constitution was previously suspended in 1931, as the result of the creation of a situation which was the subject of a report by a Royal Commission presided over by Lord Askwith. One of the chief underlying causes of trouble is the language question. Briefly, this consists in a local dispute whether the Italian language should continue to be the official language of the law courts and of Government publications and whether children in the schools should be taught English and Italian m addition to Maltese, or taught English only. The Maltese are an ancient Semitic people speaking an ancient Semitic tongue. They have maintained their racial and linguistic identity throughout their history in face of the strongest foreign influences. Not more than fifteen per cent of the people are familiar with the Italian language and few of that minority use other than Maltese in their homes. Yet the Italian press has lost no opportunity to cultivate the false idea that the Maltese people are Italian in blood and sentiment and should not be subject to Britain. The second main reason for suspension of the Constitution was the reckless financial policy adopted by the Government. Declining to amend its policy and work in harmony with that the British Government, it reaped the consequences of which it received fair warning. In adopting methods which the Imperial authorities declined to tolerate, its ieader, Sir Ugo Mifsud, appears to have had the collaboration of a Minister of Public Instruction who is reported to have said that nothing ;S more certain than the final triumph of the Italianity of Malta,” while these champions of such a cause are also credited with quoting Mr Gandhi’s reason’s for being anti-British. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Italian aspirations in Malta - the view of the island as part of Italia Irredenta —have a good deal to do with the troubles attending the administration of the island. The Italian press has not lost the opportunity of declaiming against "the cruelty with which little Malta is ground under the heel of British tyranny.” The present international situation gives to the Italian campaign a more sinister influence than it would have in other times. Malta is one of the chief British fortresses of the world. As a naval base it is of the utmost importance. Upon any aggressive Mediterranean Power it imposes restraints, and its possession by. Italy would change the balance of power in the Mediterranean and the Near East.