§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTHasked Her Majesty's Government, Whether there would be any objection to lay on the Table of the House the Protest of the Committee of Maltese Nobles, which was forwarded to the Government on the appointment of a Commission to examine the claims of the Nobility of Malta, as well as the Correspondence that passed between the Commissioners and the Permanent Committee of the Nobles? The noble Viscount said, that having brought the subject before the House on a former occasion, he had now very little to add. It would be remembered, that two or three years ago, a strong feeling existed amongst the Maltese Nobility with regard to their position in society, particularly on public occasions, and the matter culminated on the visit of the Prince of Wales to the island. The subject was referred to the Government, and the then Secretary of State for the Colonies wrote to the Governor to appoint a Commission to inquire into the grievance complained of by the Nobles. He had not one word to say against the step taken by the noble Earl, except as to the constitution of the Commission. As to the character and talent of the gentlemen selected he would not say anything; but he thought that in a small island like Malta, where those matters were so much talked about in society, some exception might be taken to two of the members of the Commission, especially as considerable feeling had been evinced as to the relative position of the Nobles and the Judges. A protest was made against two of the Commissioners, and the question which he asked the Government was, whether there would be any objection to produce the Protest? While the Commission was sitting, some Correspondence passed between the Permanent Committee of the Nobles and the Commissioners; and he would like to be informed by the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether that Correspondence could also be presented to the House?
§ EARL CADOGAN,in reply to the first part of the noble Viscount's Question, begged to state that no protest of any 851 kind had been received by the Government with reference to the matter, and certainly not with respect to the composition of the Commission. As the noble Viscount was aware, the Report of the Commission had already been laid on the Table of the House, He might say that a Petition was addressed to the Queen, regarding the place of honour due to the Nobility of Malta. It was forwarded to England by the then Governor of Malta, and was included in the Papers which were presented to the House of Commons some time ago. That was the only document in the nature of a Protest in the possession of the Government; but if the noble Viscount wished to have it, and would move for it, he would lay it on the Table of their Lordships' House.
§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTHsaid, the Protest was addressed to the Governor of Malta.
§ EARL CADOGANremarked, that it was not remitted to the Home Government.
THE EARL OF CARNARVONwould take the opportunity of answering one of the remarks which had been made by the noble Viscount (Viscount Sidmouth). The noble Viscount had commented on the composition of the Commission. The Commission was not appointed by himself as the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, but by the Governor of Malta. He had no hesitation, however, in saying that he believed the Commission was a fit and proper tribunal to inquire into the case. Two of the gentlemen selected were Judges who had spent the best part of their lives in the island. They were men of high character and great experience, and it would have been difficult to have found men better qualified for the task. He was not sorry to be able to bear his testimony to the patience with which the Commissioners conducted the Inquiry, and the ability which characterized their Report.