MALTESE DISPUTE

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1932, Page 5

MALTESE DISPUTE

COMMISSION’S REPORT ADVERSE TO MINISTRY [BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, February 12. The Malta Royal Commission, in its report, recommends the restoration of the Maltese Constitution, and also an early election. The Commission recommends dispensing with the services l of the last Ministers in order that the election may be fought free from political bias. The Commission does not advise Britain to take any step regarding a new church Pastoral Letter that is likely to be issued for the election contest. The Commission expresses - the opinion that this will prove to be a very different Pastoral from that in 1930, which led to the suspension of the Constitution.

This belief of the Commission is founded on the friendly conversations that have been held between the Bishops and the British Government, and also the Brtish Government’s and the Holy See’s expressions of a desire for good relations and for peace in Malta.

The Commission feels that the new Pastoral will be framed in the interests of peace and of goodwill, as the question far transcends local interests and involves the interests of the British Empire and the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world. LORD STRICKLAND CRITICISED. 1 BRITISH OFFICIAL WHITLESS.] RUGBY, February 12. The report of the Malta Royal Commission, comprising Lord Askwith, Sir Walter Egerton, and Count de Sails, contains some strong criticism of Lord Strickland as head of the Ministry. “The Times,” which considers that the most important, explicit and implicit recommendations of the report are those which concern the restoration of the constitution and settlement of the differences with the Vatican, remarks: “It would be regrettable if the Maltese were to suffer for the pugnacity of their politicians, and it would be deplorable if family quarrels of the Islanders were to prevent a settlement of the difficulties between the Imperial Government and the Roman Catholic Church.”