PEERS IN SPITE OF THEMSELVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 234, 26 September 1908, Page 3

PEERS IN SPITE OF THEMSELVES.

uunouks i;Nson;.iiT and DECLINED. We are far from the davs when, in the words of the "cnlleman in •• The Uoiuloliers." dukes'will he "three a penny," hut, there is a growing number of people who look on honours and titles as mere empty baubles. a s Cromwell tlitl on the mace. The flight lion. Arthur Dyke Aclatul is one of theai. His political colleagues-or was it the KingV-would have sent him to the House of Lords, but he had no desire to relinquish the activities of the Lower House for the less exciting duties of the (iiltled Chamber. If he had lived two or three hundred years ago he would have found the refusal a costly ■business.

Humphrey Chelhani was one of tlios who were mulcted in lines because o thi-ir refusal to accept lionuuvs. Hi preferred tci pay a mutter uf .C 25 f o nul becoming a knight, and Hie warrau Nsiicil against liim may lie seen in 111. Chelham Library. Hut u-i a. shrc-.vc Lan.-n.-trhut lie probably thought tlr-.i was prfforabli' tu the knightly f-i of eii.s <u- thereabouts, ami the cxJicum uf a journey to London to be lapped oi Ihe shoulder by the Kiiur.

There are men now living who might he the earl of this or the 'baron that if they chose, but thev were not "out for honours" of that'kind. When Air. Ckani-bcrlain eamo home alter negotiating the JSchring Sea Fisheries dispute he had the chance of an earldom, but im declined it. A .similar honour was twice within the grasp of Mr. Gladstone, but he preferred to remain the Great Commoner. Mr. lleiiniker-lleaton is another who might have knelt to the Kite for kuighilio.nl, but he is where he is solely from choice, and so is -Air. Ifenrv Chi.plin. Hut, there are limes when honours are not so lightly (limst aside. The late Lord Salisbury round this to be the case when his father died, and he. a second sent, who had had few expectations .if the manpiisal.c. was suddenly called upon to be Master „f llatlield. He bad no desire to abandon bis place in the Commons for a seat on the more luxuriant benches ~f the Lords, anil ho spent much lime and money in taking Ihe highest legal opinion on the question Is (ho sou of a peer obliged to s m .,., T ,l 'his father? The answer was •• Yes " and the Manpiess went aloft. Mr. St. ■ lohn Droiliick, on I niiiii" Viscount Miilloton. was faced with the saute lilemnni. asked the same i|iiestiou, received the same answer, ami hail lo submil. Lord Cur/on angled delicately for opinions on this subject, lint this wis before going out ,„ I a. lie had changed his views when he came back, and he is now in the Lords as an Irish representative poor.