THE English Government has declared equality of religious sects on the island of Malta, where hitherto religious services other than those of the Roman Catholic Church have been required to be of a private character. This action, which is in the form of a parliamentary paper ''dealing with the whole question of religious toleration on the island,'' issued by the secretary of state through the colonial office, is the outcome of objection made early last summer by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Malta to the preaching of a clergyman of the Church of England in the Theater Royal, and agitation and disturbances stirred up thereby.
The paper declares ''that the government is not aware of any pledge given to the Roman Catholics of Malta precluding the treatment of all religious bodies with equality,'' and orders the removal of the restrictions heretofore in force on the island with reference to public religious services by churches other than the Roman Catholic. The paper adds that it is earnestly hoped that this order will not call forth any further disturbances, and ''gives warning that if it should, the whole power of the government will be used to suppress the disorders.''
Thus the Roman Catholic Bishop of Malta finds that his protests against religious services other than his own, while for a time successful, have but ended in a loss of ground and the removal of the very restrictions under which he made his demands.