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The 1909 Hansard Trawl, featuring hysterical telegraphers, the army getting its oats and the apparent gross lack of patriotism of the men of Birkenhead

A development that would have frozen the blood:

Sir WILLIAM COLLINS asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can state the number of acres of hops which have been grubbed in Germany and in England, respectively, during the last two years, and what is the proportionate reduction of the total acreage under hops in each country thereby effected?

Sir E. STRACHEY The decrease in the acreage under hops during the last two years is approximately 23,000 acres, or 14.4 per cent., in Germany, and 12,400 acres, or 27.6 per cent., in England.

Not good.  Clearly we were living in dark and terrible times.

That's about it for 24/9/9, so I'm going back to the 23rd, which was a target rich environment:

Ensuring the army gets its oats:

Mr. WILES asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state why it is specially stipulated in the tender forms sent to contractors for the supply of forage for troop horses that oats grown in South Africa and South America may not be supplied?

Mr. HALDANE South American and South African oats are excluded from Army contracts in this country because the feeding properties of such oats at present obtainable are not considered to be of equal value to those of oats grown an the United Kingdom, Russia, or North America, and are not fully up to the quality stipulated for in the contract specification. Should, however, the quality of the oats in question improve in the future, the removal of the restriction will be considered.
One wonders whether gauchos were aware that their nags were living on sub-standard oats?

And so on to Nigeria:


Mr. LEVERTON HARRIS asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is the intention of the Government to place the two provinces of Northern and Southern Nigeria under one governorship?
 

Colonel SEELY The question has been raised, but is not immediately urgent, and I am therefore not at present in a position to state the views of His Majesty's Government upon it.
It happened in 1914.  Previous names for Nigeria under colonial rule were the Niger Coast Protectorate and my fave, the Oil Rivers Protectorate.

The fitness or otherwise of would be redcoats:

Army Recruits (Physically Fit).
Mr. SUMMERBELL    asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state the number of recruits of His Majesty's forces who-presented themselves for enrolment during the past 12 months, and who were accepted as physically fit to serve, and giving the numbers for each town over 100,000 population?
 
Mr. HALDANE submitted the following tables, showing the number of men who presented themselves for enlistment into His Majesty's forces during the period from 1st July, 1908, to 30th June, 1909, and who were accepted as physically fit to serve, giving the numbers for each town over 100,000 population:—

    Total number of men inspected, 59,686.

    Total number of men found fit to serve, 43,134.


So, a 72% acceptance rate.  Playing around with the figures, Liverpool came last at 55.2%, and fewer than two-thirds made the grade in Manchester, Norwich, Halifax, Leicester, Derby, Belfast and Burnley.  Plymouth and Portsmouth came top at 87.9% and 86.0%, but why weren't they lining up to enlsit with the Senior Service?

London's figure was 67.6%.  Meanwhile, why did only 41 of Birkenhead's population put themselves forward?  The next lowest figure is triple that - 127 from Middlesborough.


Tying into my post about Babi Yar yesterday - Jews at Kieff.

Mr. B. S. STRAUS asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information respecting a massacre of Jews at Kieff last week; and whether he can give any particulars?

Sir E. GREY I have received no information on the subject, and the report referred to has been contradicted in the Press.


It would appear that a full scale pogrom did not take place in 1909, but the disambiguation page for Kiev Pogrom at Wikipedia tells a depressing story.   


The perils of telegraphy

Mr. J. P. FARRELL  asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that muscular paralysis of the arm has become prevalent in the female branch of the telegraph service by reason of the long hours of duty imposed, especially in big offices; whether he is aware that hysteria, nervous breakdown, and other symptoms follow; and whether an alternation of duties will be devised whereby these maladies could be obviated and greatly prevented?

Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON I shall be glad if the hon. Member would furnish me with particulars of any case of paralysis of which he has cognisance, and I will at once inquire into it. I am not aware of any prevalence of the ailments referred to in the question.


Presumably chaps were unaffected, especially by hysteria...




Another warship name that has fallen out of use.  Can't think why:

  
Mr. BELLAIRS asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what will be the estimated total cost of the refit of the destroyer H.M.S. "Violet"?

Mr. McKENNA The approximate total cost of the recent refit of H.M.S. "Violet" was £7,055.




Bargain.

And here's today's opportunity for a hollow laugh:


Regulations for Costermongers.

Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN  asked the Home Secretary whether any new regulations are contemplated to control costermongers and street sellers in the City of London; if so, what the regulations are; and whether provision will be made to safeguard the interests of those people who gain their livelihood in this way?

Mr. H. GLADSTONE  I understand that such regulations under Section (2) of the City of London (Street Traffic) Act of this Session are contemplated, but have not yet been framed. I have no doubt that in making them the City authorities will consider the interests of all parties concerned. The regulations have to receive the Secretary of State's approval before they come into force.

Yeah, right.

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Blogger James Higham said... 9:03 pm

respecting a massacre of Jews at Kieff last week;

Why would he want to respect it?  



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