Crisis in Malta

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1007, 25 June 1930, Page 11

Crisis in Malta

HOME GOVERNMENT STEPS IN

Constitution Suspended

GOVERNOR GIVEN EMERGENCY POWER

OWING 1 to the delicacy of the political situation in Malta, the British Government lias expressed its intention of

stepping in and causing a temporary suspension of the consti tuition, which would delay the General Elections there.

In these circumstances the Governor would possess full ■geney administrative power.

British Official Wireless Reed. 12.5 p.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, announced in the House of Commons today that owing to the urgency of the local situation, the Government had already been compelled to come to decision regarding the Maltese problem. In a recent Paper the House had been given full information regarding the intervention of the Vatican in temporal affairs of the island. The position which had been created by this intervention had, in the opinion oi the Government, made it undesirable for the time being to hold a general election which was now due. 1

In those circumstances the Government, with considerable reluctance, had decided it had no alternative but to sanction a temporary suspension of the constitution The necessary legislation to give effect to this decision would be submitted to His Majesty in Council at an early date. The effect would be to place as an emergency .measure full legislative and executive authority in the hands of the Governor.

The existing Ministry would however, be retained in office and be available in a consultative capacity in so far as the Governor chose to make use of their services.