ITALIANS HATED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 9

ITALIANS HATED

ATTITUDE OF MALTESE AIR-RAID EXPERIENCES (By Telegraph.—special to Tim««> AUCKLAND, Tuesday “The Maltese people’s hatred of the Italians is very strong, and because of this the island authorities have had to refuse to take Italian prisoners from passing ships. The few Maltese who showed pro-Italian tendencies were quickly removed when Italy entered the war.” This affirmation was made today by Mrs P. A. Rathgen, a young Canadian woman, who left Malta about a month after Italy declared war. She experienced 78 Italian air raids in Malta, and an average of three a week for about a month in Alexandria. “The attitude of the Maltese people to the. Italians is very clearly defined—so much so that every effort has to be made to keep them away from Italian airmen whose machines are brought down on the island,” said Mrs Rathgen. Threat of Invasion An appeal to the Maltese people not to resist the Italians was made over the Rome radio, she added, together with a statement that Italy would invade Malta two weeks after the former country had entered the war. The Maltese, however, were not impressed, and the island was well fortified against an invasion, which so far had failed to materialise. The buildings, which were made of sandstone taken from the island itself, were very strong, and stood up well against the force of Italian bombs.