London, June 17. The rumour that Great Britain was abandoning Malta asa naval base was contradicted by Sir Samuel "Hoare, First Lord of the Admiralty, in replying to Major F. E. Guest, Conservative member for the Drake division of Plymouth, in the House of Commons to-day.
'The Admiralty, Sir Samuel declared, did not intend to discontinue' using Malta og the principle naval base in the Medit Fanean and the headquarters of the Mediterranean Fleet. They were taking every practical means of making the defence of Malta secure against possible Monday as the result of a compromise agreement with employers whereby ithe employees will be given a pay Increase of 12 francs
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.