MR. MAC IVERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, If 222 any reply has been sent to a letter, dated 26th ult., written by the Honourable Salvatore Cachia Zammit (an elected Member of the Malta Council of Government) concerning some pending questions; whether he is aware that tomorrow is the day fixed for the opening of the Malta Session, and that the proceedings of the Council are not unlikely to be largely influenced by the view taken by Her Majesty's Government with regard to these questions; if he is aware that considerable dissatisfaction exists; whether any steps can be taken to restore to the Maltese people some control over their own local affairs; and, if there is any objection to lay a Copy of the Correspondence with Mr. Cachia Zammit upon the Table of the House?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYThere is no objection to lay on the Table Mr. Zammit's letter with the Secretary of State's reply. I do not think it probable that the Malta Council will meet as soon as the hon. Member seems to think, as five of the unofficial Members have just resigned their seats on account of the election of a pauper by the inhabitants of Gozo to a seat at the Council Board. There has been considerable dissatisfaction expressed by two opposite parties—namely, by those who think the Government have done too much, and also by those who think they have done too little in the way of improvement and reform. There has been every desire to regard the wishes of the Maltese people in respect of local affairs; and it is only in cases where it has been thought that Imperial interests were involved that the votes of the elected Members have been overruled by the official majority.
MR. MAC IVERinquired whether the dissatisfaction had found expression in the Correspondence to which reference had been made?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYreplied that, upon that point, the hon. Member must draw his own deductions.