§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Maltese Government has partially closed some of the public schools in Malta in consequence of the refusal of the elected representatives of the Maltese people to grant supplies to those schools in which the substitution of English for Italian had taken place, and that a number of students have, in consequence, been deprived of educational facilities; whether the Government intends to persist in a policy which is viewed with such opposition by the Maltese people, and will he state when he is prepared to lay before the House the correspondence that has taken place on the language question.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe facts are not correctly stated in the question. I have already stated that I have no reason to believe that the Maltese people are opposed to the policy of the Government with regard to language, since nearly 99½ per cent. have opted for English in preference to Italian in the elementary schools. The latest information will be found in the Papers which are now being prepared, which will I hope be laid before Whitsuntide.
§ MR. BOLANDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a public meeting, at which 30,000 persons are reported to have been present, was held in Malta on the 3rd instant to protest against the language ordinances; and whether, in view of this strong expression of popular discontent, the ordinances in question will be abrogated.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI have received no information of any such meeting, but I have asked the Governor to report.