HOUSE APPROVES OF GOVERNMENT’S ACTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19108, 28 June 1930, Page 9

HOUSE APPROVES OF GOVERNMENT’S ACTION.

DISPUTE A DOMESTIC ONE, SAYS MINISTER

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received June 28, noon.) RUGBY, June 27. The action of the British Government in suspending the constitution of Malta was approved by all branches of the Opposition in the House of Commons last night, but hopes were expressed that the constitution might be restored at the earliest possible moment. Dr Shiels, Under-Secreta#y for the Colonies, expressed satisfaction at this general approval of the Government’s action, which was taken with great reluctance and in the hope that the suspension would not be of long duration. There would at any rate be an opportunity for all parties to reconsider the position and so bring rfbout an atmosphere likely to lead to harmony. The Government were anxious that the Maltese people should have an opportunity to work out their own destiny and did not wish, to intervene between the local parties, but they had been compelled to take action owing to the intervention of an outside party. It was important to emphasise that the issue was not really a religious one, but to some extent a domestic controversy. The Government had intervened in the best interests of self-government, and steps would be taken to »see that the people of Malta had full opportunities of understanding the facts of the situation.