The 1911 Hansard trawl, featuring the cost of living, cows, war and Brazil

The long recesses of today were also found in 1911, so I take my text from October.

First up,Working Classes (Cost of Living):

Mr. COOPER asked the Prime Minister if His Majesty' Government have any propoal to lay before the House for the purpose of securing to the working classes the means of meeting the increasing cost of living by a corresponding increase in wages?

The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith) The important business which remains to be transacted in order to complete the work of the Session is, in our opinion, sufficient to occupy the whole time of the House during the Autumn Sittings. I cannot anticipate the programme of next year.

And how exactly, did Asquith's answer address the question?  Answers on a post card please.  Secondly, guess Cooper's party.  Nope, wrong.  He was the Tory member for Walsall, and two years off ascending to a baronetcy. 

Dairy obsessives:

Mr. C. BATHURST asked the President of the Local Government Board when he proposes to introduce his long-promised Milk and Dairies Bill.

The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns) I am afraid the Government programme for the Autumn Session will not admit of the passing of a Milk and Dairies Bill this year.

Doubtless the angels wept.

Mr. C. BATHURST May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he proposes to introduce this measure in the early part of next Session?

Mr. BURNS  Sufficient unto the day is the goodness thereof.

Mr. WATT Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Bill will apply to Scotland?

Mr. BURNS No, Sir.

I'm not sure whether highland cattle, deeply stupid though they are - apparently - would have been happy or otherwise about this.

And so to international relations - Italy & Turkey

Mr. DAVID MASON   May I ask why His Majesty's Government has not offered its good offices to Italy and Turkey, with a view to the termination of hostilities?

The PRIME MINISTER His Majesty's Government do not consider that any public announcement on this subject will further the object indicated by the hon. Gentleman.

And where was the dispute taking place?  What we now know as Libya, landgrabbed by Italy from the Ottoman Empire in the Italo-Turkish war of 1911-12.   This is quite an interesting war in that Ataturk made his debut on the world stage, and the first plane borne bomb was dropped.

The seemingly slow process of diplomatic correspondence:

Mr. SPEAKER informed the House that he had received, through His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the following letter:—
Brazilian Legation, London, 11th October, 1911.

Sir,

I have the honour to bring to the knowledge of Your Excellency that the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies passed on 22nd June last a Motion congratulating the English People and the British Parliament on the Coronation of His Majesty King George V., expressing at the same time its good wishes for the happiness of His Majesty's Reign.

Baron do Rio Branco, Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs, desires me to place this congratulatory Motion before your Excellency with the request that it may be presented to the British Parliament.

Which was nice of them, and it would seem, appreciated:

Mr. SPEAKER I assume it is the pleasure of the House that I send a suitable reply to this communication. [General assent signified.]