515
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
سياسيا
Reference :--
885/25
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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(b) Preference to British goods should not be limited to differential duties, but in all Government contracts in these islands whenever the difference in price, quality being the same, does not exceed ten per cent., British In all Government contracts such as goods should be preferred. leases of tenements, public works, granting of concessions, etc., Britishers should secure the preference up to a difference of ten per cent.
PART 3.
Development of Local Resources.
34. Whilst we are of opinion that the development of existing, and the creation of new, industries will increase the scope of employment in Malta, and that the question of over population may be solved by a regular system of emigra- tion, we hold that sufficient care has not been taken in the past to make our man- hood more useful to the Empire and to give that technical instruction and educa- tion which would allow us to compete favourably with other British subjects or with foreigners.
35. We understand that the Malta Royal Naval Reserve has proved an unqualified success, and we strongly recommend that the local Government should endeavour to enlarge the scheme of enrolment.
36. The British mercantile marine offers scope for the employment as officers for a large number of a certain class of Maltese (it is a regrettable fact that before the War at least twenty-five per cent. of the officers on British ships were foreigners). There is now no nautical school, although examinations for officers may be under- gone at the University, but no advantage accrues from such examinations in view of the Order in Council of the 18th August, 1916. We recommend that increased facilities be offered to candidates to enable them to pass the necessary examinations in the United Kingdom. The following suggestions could easily be adopted
(a) That a class be formed at the Lyceum to give a preliminary six or twelve months' teaching in navigation, and that at least two scholar- ships should be awarded annually to successful students from this class to proceed to a training ship in the United Kingdom. In the mean- time, until such class can be established, we suggest that the Govern- ment should financially assist suitable boys to be admitted to a training ship in the United Kingdom.
(b) That such persons who obtain scholarships or receive assistance from the Government should be obliged to enter into an agreement to com- plete their training and sit for examinations.
37. The Maltese are a seafaring race, and, in view of the large number of foreigners employed on British ships, the Government should establish a scheme by which Maltese could be enabled to reach home ports to be employed as seamen on board British ships. Of course, upon reaching such ports the Maltese would have to adopt the usages and customs prevailing at such places. To give effect to such a scheme classes should be formed where intending seamen could acquire a colloquial knowledge of the English language. We believe that a local teacher with some nautical knowledge could be obtained for these classes at very slight expense. No man should be assisted under this scheme unless he acquires some The Board of Trade should be invited to knowledge of colloquial English. co-operate, so that a regular stream of Maltese could find employment on British ships. Arrangements might be made with the Board of Trade whereby these intending seamen could be sent to the United Kingdom on the same conditions now prevailing for D. B. S., and further, we think that some method could be easily adopted by which men assisted under this scheme could be made to refund any expense to which the Government may have been put by deduction from their wages at an established rate per month.
38. The question of a reformatory for juvenile first offenders has engaged the attention of the Government, but, although several years have elapsed since the question was mooted, nothing so far has been done, and the matter is one of the greatest importance. The demand for admission to the Orphan Asylum and to kindred institutions subsidised by Government is always in excess of the available accommodation. The number of street running boys who have no outlet in life is increasing and has become a serious matter. We suggest that a training establish. ment would absorb boys of the Orphan Asylum, juvenile first offenders, and street
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running boys, and provide them with the necessary training to enable them to find suitable employment as ordinary seamen. The expense of building a reformatory and the maintenance of the boys in present institutions would probably exceed the expense of having a training establishment.
39.
At present there is a course of marine engineering under very capable management, giving the best results, as evidenced by the number of students who have secured employment as marine engineers. However, the vote of £80 awarded in the way of subsidies to boys in order to complete their studies in marine engineer- ing abroad should be increased to, at least, double that sum.
for
40. Craft schools should be instituted, or at least existing craft schools should be extended, taking advantage of the technical school at Bugeja's Insti- tute and at other different institutes. Proper steps should be taken to ensure attendance for a specified period, the boy or young man not to be allowed to leave the school, or, at least, to forfeit any right to a certificate if he leaves the institute before the completion of such period unless it be for admission to the dockyard as an apprentice or
some other suitable employment or other legitimate reason approved by the head of the institute or school. The Government should take steps to oblige the various institutions to take up one line of craftsmanship instead of splitting up each institutions into a number of crafts, thus increasing the expense and rendering it impossible to have up-to-date machinery in each different branch; a proper division of labour between the various institutions would entail less expense and ensure greater efficiency. Attendance at the craft school should be reckoned as attendance at any other school under any scheme of compulsory education that may eventually be adopted, and scholarships to enable the most promising and successful candidates to proceed abroad to enable them eventually to become instructors in craft schools should be instituted. Advantage might be taken in the meantime of the presence in Malta of non-commissioned officers and men who have become disabled through the present War, or are otherwise recruiting their health in Malta, from among whom suitable instructors might easily be found. We cannot emphasize too strongly the value and need of such schools. They would be found very useful not only as regards employment in Malta, but also as regards emigration.
41. Emigration.-Emigration is the chief means by which the question of over population can be solved. While claiming that the Imperial Government should give every possible help to remove any prejudice or misunderstanding that may exist in any part of the British Empire to the detriment of the inhabitants of these islands, we submit that it is the duty of the local Government to remove the causes thereof, in order that our emigrants may be better appreciated and may have the necessary instruction and preparation to enable them to compete on a more equal footing with other emigrants. Sir Harry Baron, K.C.V.O., when administering the Government of Malta established an Emigration Board which has never been given an official status. We recommend that such Board be the official adviser of the Government in matters connected with emigration, and that there should be, as secretary, a Government official acting under the instructions of that Board to give every possible facility and information. The question of emigration cannot be solved during the present hostilities; a great deal will depend on the circumstances prevailing at the end of the War. In the meantime a permanent board with an official status would be able to thoroughly study the question and be in the position, when hostili- ties cease, to advise the Government thereon. Emigration from Malta should be to British dominions. For some years past our people have preferred Southern and Western Australia, Canada, or California, chiefly the first-mentioned places. One of the principal difficulties in the way of, or one of the chief prejudices against the immigration of Maltese into Australia is due to the fact that the immigrants are generally ignorant of the English language. We recommend that in each elementary school there should be a special class for teaching of practical English, and that parents should have the right to claim that their children should attend this class, where they would get the necessary practical education in English to fit them to become emigrants in due course. This measure should be enforced at once and advantage should be taken of the presence in Malta of the non-commissioned officers and men mentioned in paragraph 40. There should also be a night class for adults, intending emigrants, for the same practical instruction in English, to be obtained from the same teachers; all such classes, if free, would be a success, and would go a long way towards solving the difficulties now attending emigration.
42 The foregoing recommendations apply to the emigration of the unskilled labour class, whether agricultural or otherwise. If craft schools are instituted as