THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 1894. BIRTHDAY HONOURS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2671, 12 June 1894, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 1894. BIRTHDAY HONOURS.

The latest canard from Wellington is that the reason we got no birthday honours in this colony was because the authorities in England are displeased with the treatment Colonel Fox has received. This is on a par with most of the statements published in the Tory press as emanating from Wellington. We got no birthday honours in this colony this year because a democratic Government is in power, and we are inclined to think that so long as they retain office we shall not get any, The present Government do not believe in these empty titles, and will have none of them if we are not mistaken. Our Government is thoroughly democratic, and these titles tend to promote and foster aristocratic ideas. This is exactly what the Sbddon Government do not want to do. They want to teach the people that all titles and distinctions which are not the direct gift of the people themselves are antagonistic to democratic ideas, and unworthy of the acceptance of true democrats. Titles are calculated to build up an aristocracy amongst us, and that is exactly what we do not want. We want to build up a nation whose citizens shall meet on epual footing, except such as receive some mark of distinction from the people. Members of the Government, members of Parliament, judges, magis- , trates, and so on are entitled to respect because of their position, but they will be just as much respected without the title as with it. We believe we shall have no more titles in this colouv so long as the Liberals remain in power, but what may happen under the next Conservative regimd 'will not be known until,we shall have a trial of one, but that time is far off now.