DISMISSED!

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18236, 3 November 1933, Page 7

DISMISSED!

THE MALTESE MINISTRY ACTION BY GOVERNOR WARNINGS NOT HEEDED GRAVE EMERGENCY ARISES (British Official Wireless.) Ree. noon. RUGBY, Nov. 2. The Colonial Office has issued the following statement: “The Governor of Malta has found it necessary to dismiss the Ministers, and the Secretary of State for Colonies, being satisfied that a grave emergency has arisen within the meaning of section 41 of the Malta constitution and letters patent has approved his action. The Governor has assumed the powers vested in him by the constitution. “For some time past, the Government has viewed with increasing concern the policy pursued by the Ministers in Malta. It will be recollected that the restoration of responsible government in 1932 was made subject to certain definite provisions with regard to the language question, particularly to the teaching of languages in schools. It was the essence of these provisions that the languages to be used in public elementary schools should be Maltese and English only, adequate provision being made for the teaching of Italian in secondary schools. “Since their accession to office, the Maltese Ministers have embarked upon measures the object of which, in effect, is deliberately to evade this policy. FINANCES PREJUDICED “A further source of anxiety is the manner in which the finances of the island have been administered. These finances, which were taken over in a sound condition in 1932, already have been gravely prejudiced. “The Governor was authorised to warn the Ministers that the policy which they were deliberately pursuing was contrary to the spirit of the constitution and gravely detrimental to the interests of Malta, and to make plain to them the consequences which must inevitably follow unless their policy was radically altered. He subsequently presented a detailed list of the measures adopted by them since their accession to office which he regarded is objectionable, and which, both in the interests of sound administration, and as proof of their compliance with the policy of His Majesty’s Government, he called upon them to revoke.” Examples are cited as an illustration of the nature and extent of the acts to which the Government took exception, and the statement proceeds: “There have, moreover, been in ordinary day-to-day administration, a number of instances indicating that Ministers have neglected few opportunities, however small, of displaying their disinclination to work in harmony with the policy of the Government. The cumulative effect of these and similar acts are unmistakable. “The Ministers have been given an opportunity to amend their policy upon these matters. They declined to do so. and, accordingly, have been dismissed. The Governor has again assumed administration of the island.”