POLITICAL TITTER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 124, 19 February 1919, Page 8

POLITICAL TITTER

Sir,—Colonials, and more particularly J*ew Zealanders, have a penchant for using the prefix "Hon." on every pos-' sible occasion when making reference to certain public -men. Even an experienced journalist and politician like Mr. Fred Pirani, in the article from his pen published in your issue of this morning, bestows this title on the British Minister of Education, Mr. H. A. L. Fisher. It should be well enough known tlv.it British Ministers of the Crown remain plum'"Mr." except as regards those on whom a special title has been conferred, of'such as!'by courtesy inherit one, and Privy Councillors who are styled "Right Hon." ' The Press of Australia as 11 whole refers to Ministers us "Mr.," and Legislative Councillors are invariably mentioned as "Mr. So-and-So,. M.L.C." The prefix "Hon." is used only in a strictly oflicial sense. Tliia practice ia also followed in both Commonwealth and State records of Parliamentary debates. Here, however, we find Hansard plastered with "Hon.," and on some pages the "Right .Hon. Sir This or That, with a string of added letters repeated ad nauseam.

Some time ago I met a young man whose name > induced .me to inquire if lie were a soh of Mr. —-, a quondam and by no menus brilliant member of Cabinet, and he corrected me by saying the , "Hon. Mr. —." '.'

And this is a democracy!—l am etc., CORKIGENDA. Wellington, February 18.