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The 1909 Hansard Trawl, featuring the C of E's adventures in the licensed trade, touchy Australians and the price of coal

Early signs of Where it all Started to go Wrong:

Sir WILLIAM HOLLAND (for Mr. Beauchamp) asked the Postmaster-General if he could make any statement in regard to his negotiations with the Marconi Company and with Lloyd's in reference to the acquisition by the Post Office of the radio-telegraphic shore stations?
 
The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Sydney Buxton) I am glad to say that arrangements have been completed with the Marconi Company for the transfer to the Post Office of all their coast stations for communication with ships, including all plant, machinery, buildings, land and leases, etc., and for the surrender of the rights which they enjoy under their agreement with the Post Office of August, 1904, for licences or facilities in respect of coast stations intended for such communication....The inclusive consideration to be paid to the company is £15,000.

I've been enjoying the occasional reference to the National Telephone Company too.

Further wrongs done Erin (For conspiracy fans, that is) or the operation of the free market:

Mr. WADSWORTH asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he is aware that the approximate price of coal in the United Kingdom is given in the General Report and Statistics for 1907 (Mines and Quarries, Part III.) at 9s. 4.41d.; and can he or his Department testify to the complete accuracy of the price given in the Report?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Gladstone) I beg leave to answer this question on behalf of my right hon. Friend. The approximate average price at the mines of coal in the United Kingdom for the year 1907, as given in the General Report and Statistics, is 9s., not 9s. 4.41d. The latter is the price for Ireland.

An arresting sub-heading:
Ecclesiastical Commissioners (Licensed Houses).


Mr. T. F. RICHARDS asked the hon. Member for the Crewe Division, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, whether he can state the number of licensed houses owned or leased by them outside the area of the county of London?

Mr. JAMES TOMKINSON The number of public-houses on the estates vested in or managed by the Commissioners (outside the area of the county of London) is 192.
Pretty rum question, frankly.  Still, good money is where you make it, what could be more ethical than making money from making people happy and as I am so very fond of saying, '"It would be better that England should be free than that England should be compulsorily sober", as an Anglican divine once had it.

And, fancy, a cover up:


Mr. O'GRADY   asked the Secretary of State for War whether an investigation is being made by the Army Council into the fatal shooting accident to the Rev. Mr. Hodgson in the Territorial camp at Guisborough; if so, when was the inquiry commenced; and can he state the probable time of its completion, and whether the report will be published in full when ready?
...

Mr. O'GRADY Is it the intention of the Department never to make any report?

Mr. ACLAND These reports, as I mentioned yesterday, are not for publication. Of course, the War Office are taking steps to prevent any such similar occurrence.
Poor show, frankly.

Our Australian kin taking offence:

Australian Commonwealth ("Colonies" and "Colonial").

Mr. ARTHUR LYNCH  asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that in Australia an objection exists to the terms Colonies and Colonial as applied to the Commonwealth or its component parts; and whether he will take steps to secure that in future in official documents and in oral references in Parliament on behalf of His Majesty's Government the employment of such terms as indicated will be avoided?

The UNDER-SECRETARY for the COLONIES (Colonel Seely) Yes, Sir; there is no doubt that such an objection exists, but certainly in the Colonial Office and, so far as I am aware, in all formal communications with or references to Australia, the practice is well settled of making use of the correct expressions Commonwealth or States as the case may be.


Political correctness gone mad, I tell you.

The things Socialists agitate for:

Wardrobe and Lavatory Accommodation for Workmen.

Mr. WARDLE (Lab, Stockport) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the practice extensively carried on in Germany and America whereby wardrobe and lavatory accommodation is provided for workmen at the place of their employment; and whether, in view of the benefit in public health and cleanliness to be derived from such a practice, he will consider the advisability of securing the extension of the practice in this country?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Herbert Gladstone) My attention has been called to this matter, and, in connection with mines, it has received the consideration of the Royal Commission on Mines. The hon. Member will find their recommendations on the subject in Part XVIII. of their recently issued Report. In the case of a number of trades where the conditions of work make the provision of lavatory and cloak-room accommodation especially important for the health of the workpeople, the employer is now required under the Factory Acts to provide it; and in many other cases such accommodation is supplied voluntarily by employers. The Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories for 1908 notes, I am glad to say, a growing tendency to provide improved facilities for washing in many districts, and the question is receiving the constant attention of my Department.

Must have been a fun Royal Commmission.  I can't help thinking that legislation etc would only have been catching up with practice dictated by basic sense.     

Obscure enquiry o' the day:

Captain MORRISON-BELL asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any further information as to the proposed sale of fencing round the military cemetery at Standerton?


Mr. HALDANE I am still awaiting a report from South Africa which is expected shortly. I will let the hon. and gallant Member know the facts as soon as information reaches me.
Standerton is a Boer War cemetery, with casulaties from when we were besieged by the beastly Boers.  The only image I have been able to find is this:



So the answer 100 years on is 'who knows?'.  It is not a  CWGC-preserved site, hence the apparent degree of disarray.

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Blogger James Higham said... 7:02 pm

Well, they were some of the original winemakers, after all.  



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