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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9403, 9 January 1894, Page 4

There is, we perceive, some discussion in the Southern papers in reference to the honouring of the Agent-General of New Zealand by conferring a knighthood upon him. One paper made a big feature of the claim that - he was the first young New Zealander who had received the honour of knighthoodat the hands of his soveriegn." To this the' reply is made that Sir Westby Perceval is not a born New-Zealander. True, he was brought here young, but then it is difficult to draw the line in the matter of ago. Many men are here who have come at all ages from four to forty, and are just as patriotic as those who nad the fortune to be born in the colony. Indeed, - • the colonial born youth, as a rule, does not think, much about patriotism. He is rather inclined to sneer at it as an old-fashioned virtue, savouring of feudal times, and out' of place in a system of society which re- ; gards the interests of one class as against another, rather than the interests of country. However, that matter is of very little importance. But why has a knighthood been conferred? Sir Westby Peroral has been; but a comparatively short period in his ! present position, and previous to that

be had never held Way political officeIt has not hitherUbeen the custom to , confer knighthood <i#»riy man far 5Sj? discharge of fctoMu|j«l : w i-ageM- i General alone. Sit Andrew Clarke, who has been Acting . Agent-General j for Victoria for soiMinje, has pad. a j distinguishedcolonielparear, both\«_»j military man' and' Wa' civilian. Me was { knighted lin >73., Sir baul Samuel, Who' represents $few South Wales, nad gone' tnrou A a loag political career ere be WW matty Agetft-Generai, and the same may be Said of .Sir J. 1 4 . Gar rick, olQueenshwidj Sir V-Bray» of South Australia, : and. Sir M.Fraseft of Western Australia, But per nips the reasons which actuated the Britnh Go* i verument are not in any way hidden, or. difficult to surmise. All the represeni tatives of the largercolbmesareknights, and probably it is convenient thatall these * gentlemen should stand uport a level. rT^ieri' Sir W. Perceval has ukdoubfeedly carried out : hi«; duties witl» skill and discretion, and he has had the good sense alwaye to work amioebly with ? the Imperial authorities.'' He has done what he could to forward the interests of the Imperial Institute, and this would no doubt recommend him.to the kindly consideration of the Prince of Wales. But probably the strongest reason was, that the English Government wanted to do a pleasing act) to the present administration of New Zealand without knighting a Minister. , ! The . present Government have the credit of restoring the colony to a stable position, when it can pay the interest on its debt and has noaofolute necessity to borrow any further in London. The last gene* ral election also has shown that it IS powerfully supported in the country. The paper recently read ■by Lord Onslow proves that he at although a Conservative peer, is not disposed to view • with absolute antagonism the legislative experiments lately made in New Zealand, and probably his notions are shared in by many of the leaders of both . the Government party and the Opposition. >. These considerations are efficient- to indicate how, although somewhat out of the usual course, Sir Westby Perceval has come by his knighthood/ Perhaps also the fact that Mr. Perceval is descended from a man who was Premier of Great Britain may have facilitated the matter.