Chiswickite - formerly The Croydonian

What about this for reaching one's flock?

Mr. WATT asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention had been called to the case of Elliott Kamwana...who was brought before the resident magistrate's court at Chinteche, Bandawe, on 18th March last; if so, will he say what was the charge there made, and were any witnesses called in support of that charge; and, if not, on what grounds was he committed to prison until 4th May?

The UNDER-SECRETARY for the COLONIES (Colonel Seely) The attention of the Secretary of State was called to this matter in June last. The charge against Elliott Kamwana was that his preaching was of such a wild and extravagant character that, it was likely to produce serious native complications; this was substantiated by sworn native and European evidence. It was not necessary to call any witnesses at the Governor's inquiry, since Kamwana admitted to the Governor that his teaching was of the nature which had been reported.

And there are Christians who will tell you that Jesus Christ was more of a revolutionary than those character more often seen adorning t-shirts popular with the left...

And there's more:

Mr. F. E. SMITH Where was he detained?

Colonel SEELY He was detained at the place where he was preaching. The Governor gave him the alternative of either stopping his preaching or going away.

Mr. KEIR HARDIE Is it a fact that the preaching complained of referred to the Second Advent?

Colonel SEELY That was one of the things. Another was that there was to be no further taxation and that was considered to be wild and extravagant. Another statement was that the white population should disappear on a given day, and it was thought some excitable person might wish to hasten that event.

And something to make large numbers of heathens, agnostics, atheists, backsliders etc will the second coming:

Mr. KEIR HARDIE Was the statement that the abolition of taxation was to follow the Second Advent?

Colonel SEELY Very likely.

Meanwhile, I believe Presbytarianism is all the rage in Malawi these days.

Baghdad, flavour of the month a century back too:

Mr. REES asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government has any information regarding further developments of the project commonly known as the Baghdad Railway to communicate to the House?

The UNDER-SECRETARY for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. McKinnon Wood) I have no information to communicate to the House at present in regard to further developments of the Baghdad Railway.

This, if memory serves, was a German scheme...

Socialists, always interfering with one's right to make a living:

Mr. J. O'GRADY asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Messrs. Spratt Brothers, a branch of Houghton's, Limited, Clifford-road, Walthamstow, are contractors to His Majesty's Government, and are employing cabinetmakers at rates of wages ranging from 6d. per hour to 8½d. per hour, as against the trade union wage of 10½d. [...] whether, in view of the terms of the Fair Wage Clause, steps will be taken to refuse tenders from firms who do not fully comply with the terms of the Clause?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Charles Hobhouse) If the hon. Member will furnish me with further particulars on the subject of his complaint, I will cause full inquiry to be made. I have not as yet been able to identify the contract to which the hon. Member refers.

Doubtless the brothers Spratt stalked the highways and alleyways of E17 in order to kidnap cabinetmakers and force them to toil at sub-union rates.

A sad little tale, but watch out for the caveat:

Mr. REES asked the Under-Secretary for India whether the Secretary of State has any information to the effect that a sub-inspector of police, a constable, and a native servant have been beaten to death by villagers near Hardoi, in the province of Oudh, while occupied in making an investigation in the locality?

The UNDER-SECRETARY for INDIA (The Master of Elibank) The Government of India reported that a sub-inspector of police was beaten to death, and a constable and a syce beaten so severely that they died the next day, in the course of a disturbance arising out of a quarrel between the sub-inspector and an inhabitant of the village. The murder was not premeditated, and it is reported that there was no ill-feeling in the village against the police in general or the sub-inspector in particular. Twelve persons are under arrest.

I'm sure that came as a great relief to his heirs.

Good money is where you make it dept:

Mr. SUMMERBELL asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies if he is aware that in 1901 an area of land was set aside for the purpose of afforestation in Trinidad, and that a forest officer was appointed at a salary of £600 per annum; and, if so, whether he can state the revenue from such land during 1908?

Colonel SEELY

Steps were taken about the time mentioned to set aside reserves of forest in Trinidad, and an officer was appointed at the salary named. There are, of course, other important objects to be obtained by the conservation of forest besides the production of revenue, but it would appear from the last Report on the working of the Forest Department in the Colony that the revenue from timber and other forest produce during the year under review, 1907–8, amounted to £1,472.

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