Lady Strickland

The picture carried in Edwin Vassallo’s book on Lord Strickland is of Margaret, Lady Strickland, not of Mabel Strickland, as stated in the caption to the article on the donation of Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s collection of books to the university (March  10).

Margaret was the daughter of one of Britain’s press magnates who in his time had the largest newspaper empire outside Fleet Street. She was Lord Strickland’s second wife. His first wife, Edeline, died at Villa Bologna on December 15, 1918.

Margaret is best known in Malta for the money she pumped into Strickland’s political activities, for providing the financial help needed for the foundation of St Edward’s College, for the building of the Hotel Phoenicia, for her great support to the Boy Scout and Girl Guide movements and to the Malta Memorial District Nursing Association.

The title of Vassallo’s book referred to in the article is Strickland, a biography in Maltese. Vassallo, Strickland’s right-hand man at his printing press, was also editor of his earliest newspapers and a works minister in his administration between 1927 and 1930. The biography was published by Progress Press in 1932.

Victor Aquilina – Attard

From the online comments board

PL candidate hands out VR headsets to schoolchildren

Ray Abela poses with schoolchildren in his district wearing his VR headsets. Photo: Facebook

Incumbency to the nth power of obscenity, using even schoolchildren. Simply revolting, to put it mildly. – Jonathan Mercieca

Just unbelievable. How far is the PL ready to go to reach its electorates? It says a lot why this election is rigged. Such stunts should be banned once and for all. – James Borg

What a fitting gift from a government that abhors reality. For the blinded cannot see injustice. – Winston Smith

Is the Corrupt Practice Act still in vigore? – Joseph Borg

Another clueless Labour candidate practising his own version of the rule of law. – R. Micallef

But how do these PL people keep breaching all laws and regulations as if nothing happens? No one can stop these people? Why can’t the PL fight an election democratically and in fairness… do they have to cheat all the way? And voters beware: if they are re-elected the worst is still to come; their arrogance has no limits. – Joseph C. Galea

Sickening… trying to bribe the parents of children to vote for any candidate is a shame. – Michael Camilleri

This is outrageous on all levels! The use of children in political propaganda; publishing children’s photos online with all the abusive risks that entails. Giving children these headsets at all, without consulting their parents. We are constantly being told to limit kids’ screen time and exposure to mobile phones, and Ray Abela undoes all that. What a senseless, ignorant and abusive act.

If no steps are taken, then it just proves that the authorities don’t care about children’s health and rights. – Astrid Vella

Abusive guy. There is no other better word to describe this man. Sorry for all those children that have been used in this sad stunt full of fake smiles. – Roderick Deguara

Politicians are not to be allowed near or in schools, they are hardly the role models we want to expose our children to. – Patrick Zahra

Such theatrics should immediately disqualify anyone from seeking election. Deplorable. – Mark Ellis

Politicians, especially the incumbent variety, have neither morals nor shame in their crude attempts to curry favour, for votes to stay in the corrupt halls of power. – James McIntosh

What’s disgusting is not only the underlying corruption but, even more, the semiotics of it. A corrupt elector deserves a corrupt representative. – J.J. Micallef