Chiswickite - formerly The Croydonian

Those Nyasaland preachers continued to vex the authorities, in particular our old friend Elliott Kamwana.

Not only was Kamwana out and about sharing The Word with the good people of what is now Malawi, he also put pen to paper. At quite some length:

Mr. WATT asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the court at Chinteche, Bandawe, which sent Elliott Kamwana, a native of Nyassaland, to prison for six weeks without any charge being made or witnesses called, took any action to suppress or withdraw from circulation the six volumes written by Kamwana in which the views for which he was imprisoned are fully stated; and, if so, will he say what was the nature of that action?
....
Mr. KEIR HARDIE asked what was the nature of the complaints lodged against Elliott Kamwana, a native missionary, who has been deported from Nyassaland, to which he belonged; by whom were they lodged; and by what evidence were they backed?

Colonel SEELY The Governor caused careful enquiries to be made into the doings of Kamwana, and from sworn evidence given by Europeans and natives ascertained that his teachings were as follows:—That in October, 1914, the second Advent will take place, that Christ will then abolish all the present forms of government, that there will be no more taxation; that all the white population will disappear from Nyasaland, and that the country will be placed entirely in the hands of the natives, who will govern themselves. The head of both the Scotch Mission and of the Dutch Reformed Church Mission have expressed to the Governor their very strong feeling as to the necessity for preventing the entrance into Nyasaland of such doctrines.

It would appear that Kamwana was a Witness, and apparently October 1914 was slated to mark the start of Christ's Kingdom. Rather than the Battle of Ypres.

Sensible people, those Nyasas:

Mr. WATT Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether Kamwana had a great number of followers who adopted his views?

Colonel SEELY Yes, parts of his doctrines were exceedingly popular, and especially that part in regard to there being no more taxation.

Were I Kamwana, I would feel that my audience had rather missed the point of the second coming.

Pets' Corner...

Mr. KEIR HARDIE (for Mr. Jenkins) asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the action of the Chatham education authority in dismissing Miss M. Handford from the post of schoolmistress of St. John's School, Chatham, in consequence of her refusal to submit to an instruction by that authority to discontinue the training on natural -history to the infants under her charge by getting rid of several pet animals which were kept scrupulously clean...

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Runciman) I have seen a statement of this case, from which I understand that the teacher's engagement was terminated owing to her refusal to obey a direction given by the local education authority.

Laying down one's job for a pet rabbit or whatever does seem an odd form of martydom.

Bad behaviour in Mansfield:

Mr. MARKHAM (Lib, Mansfield) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department will he say the total number of clubs on the register in the petty sessional division and borough of Mansfield in the years 1906 and 1908, respectively; the number of clubs in the same area struck off the register from 1st January, 1907, to 30th June, 1909, for betting, gambling, and drunkenness; the names of the brewery companies given in evidence before the local justices who financed those clubs; and whether any of the premises used by clubs struck off the register have again been opened for the consumption of liquor?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Gladstone) The Licensing Statistics show that the total number of clubs on the register on 1st January, 1906, and 1st January, 1908, was, in the petty sessional division, 13 and 15, and in the borough five and four respectively. I am informed by the justices' clerks that in the period 1st January, 1907, to 30th June, 1909, six clubs were struck off the register in the petty sessional division for betting, gambling, or drunkenness; and one, in the borough, for betting and other causes.

I am shocked, shocked.

Matters polar.

Sir GILBERT PARKER asked the Prime Minister whether the land at the North Pole is considered to belong to the Dominion of Canada; and, if so, providing it is established that Dr. Cook has reached the North Pole and has planted there the American flag, whether that act would, in any way, give the United States any right of possession over that region. [The HON. MEMBER added, I assume the Prime Minister will understand "land at or adjacent to."]

The PRIME MINISTER I did not understand that. In answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question I do not understand that there is any land at the North Pole.

Sir G. PARKER Adjacent to.

The PRIME MINISTER Perhaps the hon. Member will put down another question. The second part of the question involves too much hypothetical matter for me to give any definite answer.

Mr. REMNANT In the event of it being found to be British territory, will he include it in the tax on undeveloped land?

I think Asquith was being a bit wet, and I think Remnant was essaying wit.... Apparently Kaffeklubben Island or Coffee Club Island is the land nearest the North Pole, and part of Greenland.

Remnant is vexed about clerical attire:

Mr. REMNANT (Con) I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War a question, of which I have given private notice, with reference to the circulars issued by the War Office to the Territorial Forces. Whether the Order No. 14 deals with the dress of chaplains, and the form the scarf should take, and whether the second Order says that, as uniform, only the above-mentioned scarf is authorised. In view of the approaching winter, will he give the matter further consideration, so as to avoid unnecessary disturbance to the chaplain?

Mr. HALDANE All that has been done is that the War Office does not give its authority for any other scarf. Amongst the ecclesiastical gentlemen there might be some difficulty, and the War Office does not intend to embroil itself.

Mr. REMNANT The right hon. Gentleman does not understand my question. Is he aware that nothing else but the scarf is authorised to be worn?

Mr. HALDANE I am not myself conversant with the details of these matters, but I presume it is open even to the humblest man to wear clothes.

I think Haldane showed the patience of Job there.

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »

| Next »