§ SIR GEORGE BOWYERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, What information has been received by the Government regarding the complaint of the Maltese nobility on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Malta?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERA letter has been received from the honorary secretary of the Committee of the Nobles of Malta repeating the complaint referred to by the hon. Baronet. This letter has been forwarded to the Governor, whose explanations have not yet been received. We have, however, received a despatch written by the Governor—in consequence of his attention having been drawn to a Question put to me a short time back 1668 by the hon. Baronet—in which he explains that it had been originally intended that a number of addresses should be presented to the Prince of Wales, and that a high place had been assigned to the Nobles, which accorded with their desires as to the order of precedence. His Royal Highness, however, was unable to receive more than one address in person, and consequently the arrangements in question fell through. It was then suggested that the Nobles should take a prominent part in a procession formed in honour of the Prince, but this plan they declined to carry out, as the hon. Baronet is aware. He will, however, be glad to learn that several of the Nobility dined at the Palace to meet His Royal Highness, and others were present at an evening reception, and were presented by the Governor to the Prince. I need hardly add that Her Majesty's Government are most anxious to accord all proper respect to the Nobility of Malta so far as is consistent with their obligations to the rest of the community.