THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1913. KNIGHTHOOD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 3 January 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1913. KNIGHTHOOD.

The eonferrence erf the degree of Knight Bachelor upon Mr W. C. Buchanan, M.P., of the Wairarapa, carries with it the title of "Sir." Many people aro probably unaware of th.o> origin of the knighthood. Originally 5i military distinction, it came, in the 10th century, to hp occasionally conferred on civilians, an a reward for valuable services rendered to the crown or community. Tho .fir-st civil knight i,n, Enghuul was Sir William lord mayor of London, who won that distinction by slaying' the rebel Wat Tyler in the presence of the king. Since the abolition of knight-service, knighthood has been conferred without any regard to property, a.s a. mark nf the sovereign's esteem, or as a reward of .services of av-y kind, civil or military. In recent timey it has been conferred at least as often, on administrative officials, eholars, lawyers, physicians, artiVts and citizens as on soldiers. Although knightuood could originally be conferred by any person of knightly condition, the. right to confer it wc.is early reatricte.fi to persons of rank, ■ntvl afterwards to the sovereign, or his representative. In England the sovereign now bestows knighthood by a verbal declaration, accompanied, with a simple ceremony of imposition of the sword, ami without any potent or written instrument. Persons who yre simply knighted, without belonging to any order, are called in England Knights Bachelor. Knighthood of this kind, is now only conferred in Great Britain. Te. the table of precedence, a, Knight Bachelor comes next in order to Knigbts Commanders of the various orders. Tt is several degrees above the Commanders of the Bnfh. Tn all probability Sir Walter Buchanan will receive the Boval command to "Rise. Sir Walter!" during his present visit t'> the Old Country.