LLOYD GEORGE ON TITLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17984, 9 January 1922, Page 6

LLOYD GEORGE ON TITLES.

HEREDITARY SYSTEM WRONG. Recording the death of Mr. R. L Richardson, M.P., of Winnipeg, a wellknown newspaper owner, the Canadian Gazette recalls an interesting conversation which the late member had with Mr. Lloyd George on the subject of hereditary titles. Mr. Richardson was one of a party of Canadian newspaper men who visited England in 1918,/ and at a dinner given by Lord Beaverjirook, then Minister for Information, ho sat next to the Prime Minister. " As the mover of the resolution in the Canadian Parliament in the previous session to end all the title business in the Dominion, I was naturally most interested to know Mr. Lloyd George's view," said Mr. Richardson, in recalling the discussion a little later. "He promptly and emphatically avowed his opposition to hereditary titles. He thought they were wrong in principle and could not be justified, but he had difficulty in seeing why a title to last during the lifetime of the recipient might not be conferred for conspicuous service performed without harm to the State or the man. Of course, care should be taken to confer the honour only in cases of actual distinguished merit or service. To adopt any other practice was to bring the practice into ridicule or contempt, a state of affairs that would work its own revenge upon the institution. " Anxious to know his present view and possible intention," continued Mr. Richardson, ."I jestingly hinted it might become my duty aB a newspaper man to edit a despatch regarding his own entry into the chafmed circle. He instantly broke out into genuine laughter, and, tapping my wrist kindly, he said, 'My friend, you can s>!t your mind at rest upon that score. It will never become your duty to edit any such paragraph about me. Lloyd George will continue till the end of the chapter, the name which he proudly inherited from his father.'"