MALTA

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 160, 26 June 1930, Page 6

MALTA

THE GOVERNMENT POUCY HOUSE OF LORDS QUESTIONS. ATTITUDE TO VATICAN. [British Official Wireless.] (Received 26, 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, June 25. In the House ot Lords, Lord Cushenden asked the Government whether they were still endeavouring to renew tiio negotiations for coordination between the ecclesiastical and civil authorities in Malta, whether the iormer had yet given orders which would restore to the electorate ot the colony complete freedom to exercise their political |udgment, and how long it was expected that it might be necessary to suspend the holding of the elections in the colony. Viscount FitzAlen appealed to Lord Strickland, Prime Minister of Malta, who was present in the House, to make some gesture that might alleviate the present situation and which would place him in the position he ought to hold in the island of Malta. He believed that much good could come of such a gesture and peace and spiritual welfare would be restored to that great historic island fortress. LORD STRICKLAND’S REPLY.

Lord Strickland, replying, thanked the Government for the decision it had arrived at. He said that the Government’s declaration did not mean the suspension of the constitution, it only meant the suspension of the elections; but, having got to that stage, the problem was how to get out, and the way to do that was by further ordinances. Therefore he accepted loyally and freely any apparent or real diminution of his previous authority. Defending his conduct of affairs in Malta, Lord Strickland said: “1 may have been tactless sometimes, but not always. 1 have been a Governor under the Crown four times, and I should not have been Governor twice if I was proved to be consistently tactless.’’ Lord Passfield, Colonial Secretary, said that the Government had never taken sides in this matter. It was with the greatest regret that the Government was driven to take the step it had taken and even temporarily to suspend the constitution. They were suspending the constitution in order to save it. The constitution was not being maintained if freedom of election was eaten away. When they could get back to freedom of election, the constitution would be restored. During the suspension, the government would be carried on by the Governor by means of Orders-in-Council. The Government was not going to give way to the demands of the Vatican that Lord Strickland and his colleagues should be removed. CHEERFUL FATALIST. PROPHECY OF ASSASSINATION. [United Pre** Association—By Cable— Copyright.) London, June 24. “I have done my job, I did not fly to England for nothing,” Lord Strickland told an interviewer, expressing his opinion on the Government's decision tq suspend the Malta constitution. He concluded (smiling): “I would bet you six to four I am assassinated within a year.”