TITLES AND THEIR RECIPIENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1196, 3 August 1911, Page 4

TITLES AND THEIR RECIPIENTS.

A LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR'S VIEWS. The titles recently conferred on the Prime Minister and Sir John Findluy were the subject of remark in tile Legislative Council yesterday. The Hon. W. AY. M'Cnrdle said he looked upon the honour conferred on tho Prime Minister as an honour to New Zealand. As to Sir John Fiudlay, tome people would say he was a very young man to receive a title, but anyone who had listened to the Leader of the Council could not but admit that ho was ono of the ablest men who had ever sat in the Council, and that any honour conferred on him would be creditably carried. (Hear, hear.) The Hon. j. Higg said he could hardly take the same view of titles as the previous, speaker. Too often titles were given for reasons which were scarcely creditable to the recipients-often they were given for purely parly services, more often for sycophancy, mid occasionally for merit. Tliat they were given for merit sometimes was a redeeming feuture. Personally, ho thought titles should bo niau'e easier to obtain, and that those who wanted a title should bo able to get it. Ho could see no objection to a man being given power to call himself Sir, or Lord or Colonel, or captain, if that would please him. Ho himself did not desire any such title, and therefore ho would not accept one if it was offered. At Hie samo time, he would not object to anyone else receiving one, whether they deserved it or not. As to it being an honour a man's true merit consisted not in the'title the man bore but in the man himself. , ~• Further references to this matter will be found in our report of the proceedings of Parliament