THE HONOURS LIST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12530, 18 June 1901, Page 4

THE HONOURS LIST.

Wb believe that the list *of 'honours to be conferred on New Zealanders, as telegraphed by our Wellington correspondent, is both accurate and complete. Knighthoods are not regarded as an exceptionally high distinction, but they constitute almost the only honours that arc* conferred upon colonial statesmen, and the habit of sneering at them is more an affectation than anything else. It is really not inconsistent with democratic principles to accept an honour that is purely a recognition of services rendered to the Empire. It is the hereditary title that is undemocratic, though no one would think of condemning a colonial statesman who accepted a baronetcy. Superstitious politicians might be pardoned for hesitating when offered a knighthood, for it is a tradition in Australian politics that no leader who* takes* a title can expect to prosper. The cases of Sir Henry Parkes, Sir George Dibbs, Sir Thomas MTI wraith, and other well-known politicians are quoted to support the tradition, but, on the other hand, we have an instance of persistent power in Sir John Forrest, *and Sir George Turner can scarcely be regarded as a person of no account in the political world. The truth is that the man, and not the title is to* blame. A politician in the height of his power might take the bauble without fear. The sinister tradition is based on cases in which the title has been taken by a political leader whose hold on the reins was already weakening, and who was already marked for oblivion. We do not know what application the superstition has to New Zealand, but we have no fears concerning Mr Ward’s future. No one will venture to question the fitness of the two knighthoods that will be conferred to*-day. If Mr" Ward had rendered no other service to the colony than the establishment of the penny postage system, his work would still have been worthy of Imperial recognition, and his successful labours in charge of the Post and Telegraph Department and the Railways Department rendered his “elevation” inevitable. Mr M’Kenzle, too, was marked for some special honour. So long as New Zealand exists his name will be coupled with the land system which helped so materially to lift the country out of the despondent state into which it had fallen, and no single honour that the Duke of York is likely to 'confer during his colonial tour will be greeted with more general approval. The lesser honours of Companionships of St Michael and St George are to be conferred on the Hon A. J. Cadman, the Hon W. C. Walker and* Colonel Gudgeon. Mr Cadman’s services are too, recent to be forgotten by the general public. Mr Walker, of. course, is the representative of the Ministry in the Upper House, and Colonel Gudgeon’s special work has been done in the Cook Islands. The distribution of honours during the Royal tour, has not been nearly so wide as the colonies were led to expect. Until the Duke actually arrived in Melbourne it was generally taken for granted that at least the Mayors of the cities visited would be knighted 1 , and it was whispered that 'the services of those concerned in the despatch of troops to South Africa were not to be forgotten. We are wiser now. Concerning the absence of Mr Seddon’s name from the honours list, we may take it for granted that the Premier is well content with the distinction already conferred cn him, and we have no faith in the rumours of earldoms and governorships in store for him. Probably he holds it better to be a king in the hearts of the people than a peer in Burke.