THE HONOURS LIST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 127, 21 January 1932, Page 4

THE HONOURS LIST

Although; of course, confusion may have fallen upon some ab'out-tb-be-hoiibiired heads, when the Prime Minister projected his characteristically blunt anriouncement tkat he had paSsed by the New Year's honours list, because there were other more important things to do, Mr. Forbes' decision will, we think, be in a'ccOrdanbe with the feeling of the majority of New Zealanders. Assertions have been made, of course, that this passing over of the honours list amounts to disrespect to His Majesty the King, who according to a polite fiction, bestows these marlts of favour upon the deserving. Such assertions, hdwever, are so transparently ridiculous that they need not be seri'ously considered. New Zealand's rbputation for loyalty to the Sovereign stands unquestioned ; it has its roots in something mUch deeper than a practice which of late years has become unfortunately tairited with commercialism and political expedi'ehcy. The offiee

of a knighthood and patents of nobility are a very ancient survival and even in these demo'cratic days, the "mana" which a title of descent earries with it has not entirely passed away. But unfortunately, in a coihmercial age, the practice of bestowing honours has assumed an entirely different aspect. In theoi'y, it has been maintained as a ineans of recognising distinguished services to the State and the public, but as it hus fallen increasingly under political domination it has become more and mofe ehciimbered with the handicaps that inevitably accompany that imfortunate state. Mr. Forbes has perhaps been a little blunt in his attitude towards the recent honours list, but on the whole his action will probably command a larger measure of popular approval than has been accorded some other of his recent ac~ tivities. There will be, of course, a certain section bf the public which still derives satisf action from resounding titles and im-

pressive insignia, but in a youhg, essentially democratic and virile country such as New Zealand this section is so small as to be negligible. There can be rio qiiestibn that v'ery mdny hon;ours have been conferred in this country as a signal ahd gracioits fn'ark of some outstanding worth or public service, but as against that there is a great deal to be said for the argument that a man worthy of honour needs no more recognition of it than the esteem aird appfeciation bf his fellow men. Whatever the pros and bons, however, there can be no doubt that the bestowal of honoiiks is sbmethirig far from essential in a young and democratic Dominion, and in a time of nationai crisis lik'e the present, nothing has been lost to the country by passing it by. The growth of the honours craze, with the wealth of other sub and minor titles which is growing up around it, represents ' something which is uiinecesskry and in some of its aspects uiidesirable. It is too much open to abuse by political ipatronage and other means and at the same time creates something which many of our forefathers ventured into new lands to avoid. The democratic ideal can be carried to extremes in these matters, but there is moderatibii in everything and too many resounding titles within the smaii Compass of oUf shores inighi; teiid to make us lbsb buf sense bf propor'tion. Judged on Mr. Forbes' . . . j i ' ■ t i's present attitude and 'the increasmg urgency of the pfoblems which are cbnfronting hini, it would appear not imlikely that next time an honours list is preserited for consideration he will agaiii bb tod busy to make any recommendations, and ih the colloquial, New Zealanders as a- whole "wiil liot i'ose hny sleefc" if such is the case.