§ EARL DE LA WARRasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether Malta will be represented at the approaching Colonial Conference; and, if so, whether by one or more elected Members of the Council of Government?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (The Earl of ONSLOW), in reply, said, that Malta would not be officially represented at the approaching Colonial Conference, inasmuch as no special Representative, as requested in the terms of the late Secretary of State's (Mr. Stanhope's) despatch, had been sent to this country; but care would be taken that some person acquainted with and interested in Malta should be present when any question affecting 1127 that Colony came under consideration. If any elected Member of the Council of Government should express a desire to be invited on the opening day, an application from him would be carefully considered, having regard to the fact that the accommodation in the Conference Room would be very limited. Owing to a misunderstanding of what he said on a previous day, in reply to his noble Friend (the Earl of Harrowby), he wished to make it clear that if any unofficial Members of any Colonial Legislature were in this country at the time of the Conference, preference would be given to them in respect to admission, in order that they might have the advantage of learning the views of Her Majesty's Government.