Il-Berka (Il-Ħamis, 29 ta’ Mejju, 1930)

Wara l-attentat fuq il-Prim Ministru

Telegrammi ta’ ferħ lil Lord Strikland
MESSAĠĠ MIR-RE
Lill-Gvernatur, Malta.
Jien tkexxkixt meta sirt naf bl-attentat ta’ qtil fuq il-
Prim Ministru ta’ Malta, iżda jien inrodd ħajr li dan l-
attentat aħrax u tal-biża falla.
Nitolbuk twassal personalment lil Lord Strikland il-
ferħ tagħna minn qalbna għal-ħelsien mirakuluż
ġewwa l-Belt illum u xewqat sinċieri li għal bosta
zżmien jibqa’ Prim Minsitru ta’ Malta.
PARTNERS COMMERCIAL
MARITIME FILM SERVICE.
-----------------------------------------------------------

GEORGE R. N. New York, 24 ta’ Mejju.

----------------------------------------------------------- Lill-Editur, Malta Chronicle.

L-ISQOF JIBGĦAT JIFRAĦ LIL LORD L-aħbar tal-ħelsien mirakuluż ta’ Lord Strikland
STRIKLAND qegħda tinġieb ewlenija fl-ewwel faċċati tal-ġurnali
Amerikani li wkoll qegħdin iġibu r-ritratt tiegħu
Inħossuna ħienja li nistgħu nxandru ittra li minn l-
“Viva Lord Strikland”. Nifraħlu minn qalbi.
Arcisqof Mons. Dom Mauro Caruana intbagħtet lill-
Prim Ministru fil-jum ta’ nhar il-Ġimgħa wara nofs JOSEPH AZZOPARDI
inhar:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mill-Palazz tal-Isqof
NERIK MIZZI JIFRAĦ LIL LORD STRIKLAND.
Mdina, il-Ġimgħa.
L-Avukat Nerik Mizzi, fl-isem tiegħu u għan-nom
Milord, tal-Partit Nazzjonalista bagħat ittra lil Lord Strikland
nhar il-Ġimgħa filgħodu fejn fiha qal li huwa skanta u
Ilqa, nitolbok, il-ferħ li nħoss f’qalbi għall-ħelsien
stagħġeb meta sar jaf bl-attentat ġewwa l-Qorti u
providenzjali li kellek dalgħodu.
bagħat jifraħ lil Lord Strikland li rnexxilu jeħlisha.
Billi ma ridtx norbot fuq ix-xnigħat, illum wara
nofsinhar bagħat lill-Kappillan tiegħi għand il-
Kummissarju tal-Pulizija. Huwa zgurani illi tassew
kien sar attentat fuq ħajtek. Dan huwa għamil ta’
miġnun – iżda kienu x’kienu il-fehmiet li ġiegħluh
jagħmel dan, kulħadd jifraħ li int sfajt bla imtiefes.

Nitolbok li bil-ħasra li ġarrabt tgħarraf lil Lady

Strikland u lill-familja tiegħek.

(ft) MAURUS. O.S.B.

Arċisqof ta’ Malta.

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri
Il-Berka (Il-Ħamis, 29 ta’ Mejju, 1930)
ASSASSINI.
Assassini! U toqgħodilkom!
Toqgħodilkom daqs kemm tixirqilkom ta’
Terenisti u ta’ Għaqda tal-Giddibin.
Assassini! L-ewwel riedu jeqirdu l-unur tiegħu, u
issa ppruvaw ineħħulu ħajtu. S’hawn twassalhom
il-mentalita’ baxxa taghħom. Dan li tgħallmu
mill-kultura Taljana, minn dik il-kultura li huma
tant jiftaħru biha.
Kollox ippruvaw biex jeħilsu minn Lord
Strikland. Gideb, tnassis, malafami, kalunji,
komplotti u manuvri baxxi u ġuramenti foloz.
Minn kollox għamlu. Ma kienx għad fadlilhom li
jneħħulu ħajtu, u dan ittantaw jagħmluh nhar il-
Ġimgħa li għaddiet ġewwa l-Qorti. Assassini!
...Qalu wkoll in-Nazzjonalisti li l-‘miġnun’
Miller spara addoċċ u mhux għal Lord Strikland;
qalu li Lord Strikland kien il-Qorti
b’kumbinazzjoni, filwaqt li hemm ħafna xhieda li
jafu li Miller qal qabel li sad-9 ta’ filgħodu Lord
Strikland ikun maqtul!
Jekk in-Nazzjonalisti ma kellhomx x’jaqsmu
mad-delitt infami tan-Nazzjonalist Miller allura
għalfejn dan it-taħbit kollu biex jagħttulu?
Dawn il-fatti jikkonfermaw dak li ħaseb il-poplu,
jiġifieri li kienu n-Nazzjonalisti li ġiegħlu lil
Miller jispara fuq Lord Strikland – dawk l-istess
Nazzjonalisti li l-kapurjuni tagħhom fil-
Memorandum li għamlu lill-Gvernatur marru
jgħidu li f’Malta m’hawnx ferment, u li huma
kapaċi jżommu l-buon ordni fil-pajjiż. Assassini!

B’kollox u b’kulħadd isservew. Għax raw li

b’xejn ma setgħu jirbħu, anqas bil-gazzetti tal-
Faxxisti u anqas bir-Reliġjon, allura riedu
joqtluh. Assassini!

...Gianni Miller, dak li pprova joqtol lil Lord

Strikland huwa Nazzjonalist magħruf. Anzi ma
nafux min seta jkun dak il-bniedem aktar
Nazzjonalist minn Miller.

Miller huwa magħruf minn kulhadd bħala

Nazzjonalist akkanit, huwa ħabib tal-kapurjuni
kollha tal-partit Nazzjonalista, tant li kien ta’
spiss jidher jippassiġġa lambrazzetta magħhom...

Lil Miller kulħadd jafu. Saħansitra Lord

Strikland li kien tħabattlu u rnexxilu joħorġu
mill-ħabs...

B’dana kollu n-Nazzjonalisti qegħdin jaghmlu ta’

bir-ruħhom li ma jafuhx; qegħdin isejħulu ‘ċertu’
Miller! Assassini!

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri
Il Cotra (29 ta’ Mejju, 1930)
ATTENTAT FUQ IL-ĦAJJA
TAL-PRIM MINISTRU
Nhar il-Ġimgħa li għaddiet, 23 ta’ Mejju, 1930,
lejliet l-Empire Day, ċertu Giovanni Miller, spara
tliet tiri ta’ revolver filwaqt li Lord Strickland, il-
Prim Ministru, kien dieħel mill-kuritur tal-Qorti
ta’ fuq għas-Sala tal-kawżi tal-Appell. Jingħad
illi l-ħsieb ta’ Miller kien li jispara għall-Prim
Ministru; u ma laqtux minħabba illi laħaq fil
waqt is-Surġent Depares li żammlu idu kif kien
qed jispara, u l-Kapurali Caruana u Giuliano li
ħatfulu r-revolver minn idu.
L-Eżekuttiv tal-Partit tal-Ħaddiema dak in-nhar
stess wara li sar l-attentat, għadda unanimament
riżoluzzjoni sabiex tintbgħat ittra ta’ ferħ lill-
Prim Ministru talli l-Providenza Divina skansatu
minn attentat hekk ikrah, li setgħa swielu l-ħajja
tiegħu.
As appeared on The Malta Chronicle
and Imperial Service Gazette of
June 24th 1930 -
"We are requested by the Bishop of Gozo to
give publicity to a letter which his Lordship
sent to Lord Strickland on the 24th May of
which the following is a translation:
My Lord,
Deploring the horrible attempt
perpetrated yesterday on Your Lordship's
person, I warmly congratulate you on the
narrow escape.
Your devoted servant,
Michael
Bishop of Gozo"

Aħna wkoll, fl-isem tal-Cotra nifirħu lill-Prim

Ministru, u nittamaw li dan kien l-ewwel u jkun
l-aħħar għamil minn din ix-xorta; għamil li (għad
li Alla ried li spiċċa b’wiċċ il-ġid) setgħa kellu l-
aktar konsegwenzi koroh; konsegwenzi li kienu
jkomplu jnikktu aktar milli hi, qalb il-Maltin
kollha li jħobbu s-sewwa u jixtiequ jaraw l-Ordni
u l-Paċi fil-Pajjiż.

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

Il-Ħmara (Is-Sibt, 31 ta’ Mejju, 1930) tagħhom, illum huma bdew sabiex għall-voti tal-
imzazen għal bżonn joffendu lil-istess strument
L-ATTENTAT KONTRA L- tagħhom...

PRIM MINISTRU Illum qegħdin jgħidu “Miskin, dak marid! Dak

Wara li l-Partit Nazzjonalista organizza dik il-
pastażata magħrufa bħala “Kongura ta’ Terinu” li
spiċċat b’ġurament falz, li ħadu parti fih il-kbarat
kollha ta’ dan il-Partit moqziez, illum, b’għaġeb
kbir ta’ Malta Nisranija, smajna b’delitt wisq
akbar u wisq aktar li jbeżża, cioe’ attentat fuq
ħajja ta’ bniedem li sal-lum huwa miżmum bl-
għola persuna tal-pajjiż.
Il-“Hembet” (Miller) huwa l-bniedem li
jirrapreżenta l-Partit Mizzian f’dana l-attentat
tad-delitt, bħal ma darba “Terinu” kien
jirrapreżenta lill-istess Partit waqt ġurament falz.
karattru ħażin li l-Partit tagħna ilu ħafna biex
jeħles minnu. Dak għamel dan, għax ħadlu
ħobżu, għax neħħewlu l-Banka tal-Lottu”, u fl-
istess ħin il-partit tagħhom feraħ lil Lord
Strikland talli skappa mill-balal tal-assassin.
Insomma fi kliem ieħor, wara li għasruh waslu
biex jarmuh, bħal ma għamlu dejjem u bħal ma
għad jagħmlu b’dawk kollha li huma ma
jkollhomx bżonn aktar...
G.GATT

M’għandnix naħsbu li dawn id-delitti huma

xogħol ta’ individwu. L-inkoraġġiment li l-Partit
jagħti lil din il-kwalita’ ta’ delikwenti għandu
ħafna x’jaqsam mad-delitt. Il-kliem li
jfesfsulhom f’widnejhom u s-saħna li
jsaħħnulhom rashom kontra l-Ingilterra u fuq
Reliġjon, ikun l-arma li huma jqabbdu f’idejn
dawn l-assassini...

Dan l-aħħar, “Il-Hembet” li pprova jneħħi l-ħajja

tal-Prim Minsitru, kellu kawża talli għedded lil
wieħed Striklandjan li jneħħilu ħajtu. Mal-kors
tal-kawża sirna nafu li huwa jinsulta spiss nies li
ma jaqblux mal-Partit Mizzian. Matul il-kawża
kellu avukati kemm irid li b’ħeġġa kbira bdew
jippruvaw isibu d-difetti fil-liġijiet sabiex
iqegħduhom a dispożizzjoni ta’ dan “il-
Persunaġġ” wisq stmat fil-Partit Nazzjonalista,
ċioe’ Miller “Il-Hembet”...

Illum in-Nazzjonalisti li jafu li s-servizz illi kellu

jagħmel għamlu, għalkemm il-kbir Alla, li huwa
wisq akbar minn dawk li jippretenduwha ta’
kbar, ried isalva il-vittma tal-għawi u tal-maganji

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri
Il-Berka (Il-Ħamis, 29 ta’ Mejju, 1930)
Bosta kalunji qalgħu – u xerrdu malafami
Għamil Infami u Ipokrezija
Ta’ veri nies infami – gideb, għerq ukoll tnassis
B’ħeġġa ta’ ipokriti – din ix-Xirka riedet tgħami
Ix-Xirka tal-Infamja – li fiha t-Terenisti
Lin-nies ta’ dan il-pajjiż.
U n-Nazzjonalisti, - jinsabu imxerkin,
Ma hix, le, xirka ġdida – ilha minn żmien teżisti
Meta l-qerq ma sewa – bla ma ġarrbu xejn rimors
B’għajb kbir tagħna l-Maltin.
Bit-tixwix sar l-aħħar sforz – ġiegħlu lil Miller l-
assassin

F’kull żmien, kull meta tfaċċa – xi bniedem li l- Jeqred imur lil Strickland – sabiex huma jagħmlu
ħaddiema, għors

Ried jagħti hena u sliema – mix-Xirka sab Fost niket tal-maltin.

twegħir,
Għaliex lill-ħaddiem malti, - mirżun riedet bi
Ma dan l-aħħar kolp tagħhom – fuq Strikland
ġliema,
ukoll falla,
Li żżommu tagħha lsir.
Li mħares mid-Driegħ t’Alla – l-għedewwa
tiegħu iriegħed

Għalhekk meta Sir Gerald – kien f’Malta u ferm Għal Malta jkompli jaħdem – skansat ġie minn
żagħżugħ kull balla

Xewxu biex lilu biegħdu – minn Malta sa U minn l-għadu ġie mbiegħed.
rnexxew
Għaliex ħenn għall-ħaddiema – sa li riedu
Ix-Xirka tal-Infamja – biex tostor dan l-ikrah
jeqirduh
dnub
U għalieh lin-nies għawwew.
Fil-folji xandret miktub – li Miller x’aktarx
miġnun;

Ukoll għalhekk din il-gwerra – li qiegħda ssir Ferħ lil Strikland għal-ħelsien – iżd’Alla jaqra
kontrih fil-qlub

Għax minnu qed jibżgħu sħiħ – ma għarfu ma Jaf is-Sew u l-kaġun!

jlaħħqux
J.A.G.
Strickland għandu dehen minn Alla – u lil
driegħu jipproteġieh
Ma jbeżżgħu ebda għakkux.

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri
This eye witness account was taken Reynaud, who stood next to Lord
from the autobiographical book Strickland, was so overcome by the shock
entitled - My Century - by Herbert that he nearly fainted. The culprit, Gianni
Ganado and translated by Michael Miller, known was Hembet, was
Refalo pg 296 - 297 - Vol 2 immediately apprehended and arrested.
The courtroom was in uproar and the
"The succession of political lawsuits electoral cases put off. The King sent
continued unabated. After the Pirvy Council Strickland a telegram of support whilst the
annulled the election of the two Labour Bishop, in a public statement, expressed his
senators, the Nationalist Party instituted pleasure that Lord Strickland had not been
proceedings for a ruling that all legislation injured.
approved by the vote of the Labour
senators was consequently null and void. Our maids won an ambo in the weekly lotto
The action as a natural follow-up to the draw. They had played the numbers of
Privy Council's decision and passions rose as Strickland's age and the date of the
proceedings reached the Court of Appeal. incident. As many punters had played the
same numbers the prize fund was reduced.
The courtroom was packed. Three shots
were heard and created panic.  Miller was condemned to fifteen years hard
What had happened? Who was the target? labour."
Was anyone hit?
Word that Lord Strickland had been shot
spread like wildfire. I have always abhorred
violence and although I was very much
opposed to Strickland and his policies, I felt
momentarily sorry and some sympathy
towards him. Had he been hit? The crowed
milled around him. Lord Strickland stood in
the centre of the courtroom, calm,
dignified, wearing his usual smile. Three
bullets had thudded into the ceiling and the
walls. The crowd was anxious and curious.
Who had fired the shots? Was it a
Nationalist? Was the culprit known? Was it
the work of a fanatic? Or was it a trick?
How could Strickland not have been hit by
at least one bullet when the man shot at
such a close range?

When the shots were fired Dr Joseph

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri
© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri
The news paper 'THE DUNDEE
COURIER' published in May 24 1930, the
following article:

"It hardly needed yesterday's attempt on

the life of Lord Strickland to tell the world
that Maltese politics are hot stuff. Already
the flames of perdition have figured in
them with much prominence.

The astonishing thing is that a person with

the name Miller, which has not the
authentic Maltese or Italian ring about it,
should sufficiently be inflamed by an
insular controversy to participate in it in
the extreme manner of assassination. 

Lord Strickland's assailant is reported to be

a supporter of the Nationalist party, and
he appears to be well known for his hatred
of Great Britain. Members of the party
have been disclaiming an anti-British
inspiration, but it seems to be unhappy in
some of the elements it attracts.

At this distance the most suggestive

feature of the episode is the extraordinary
warmth of the popular sympathy with Lord
Strickland which it has provoked.

In a population like that of Malta the ban

of the Church carries enormous weight,
but it has not apparently affected the
popularity of the banned Prime Minister."

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri

© 2011 – Ms. Samantha Abela – Ms. Dianne Camilleri