THE EMPIRE'S MINOR POETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 65

THE EMPIRE'S MINOR POETS.

We loam fro.n tho publishers of ' Good Words " that, their offer of £75, in cash prizes, for the three best Coronation cdes, excited world -wide interest, the number od competitors being 1047, and were from almost eiery part of th» Empire down to the- smallest island in the most remote seas. The envelopes containing the odes havi borne the stamps and post marks of 33 different countries, of which all but five are undoi British dominion. The full list in order of numbers received from each country is as follows: — Great Britain and Ireland, 6dl ; Canada, 91; New Zealand, 71; Victoria, 59; India, 33 ; Leeward Islands, 24. ; New South Wales, 20; South Australia, 14; Jamaica, IS; Cape Colony, 11; Tasmania, 11; Trinidad, 10, Newfoundland, 8; Natal, 6; Queensland, 5 ; Ceylon, 4 , France, 4 , Barbadoes, 3 ; Western Australia, 2; Windward Isle*, 2; 'Italy, 2, and the Straits Settlements, British Hon : duras, Hongkong, Tho Federated Malay States (Sa.lar.gor), Burma, British Virgin Isles (Norway Island), Belgium, Denmark, The United States, and Switzerland, one ode each.

There are some obvious curiosities in thi3 list. What is it in the atmosphere of the Leeward Isle 3 that has produced 24 poets, while the Windward Isles can only boast 2? Why should Victoria send 59 compositions,' JTe\v South Wales only 20, South Australia W, Queensland 5, and West Australia 2? The Australian Coinmonweplth as a whole furnishes just an even 100 competitors, thereby leadirig Canada's total of 01 by- nine points, and stil! leading by ono point if Newfoundland be -added' to the Dominion proper. South Africa is too much concerned with other matters to give tune to writing ode? even to the King, and in the 17 odes received the nearest pohit to the fighting line represented is De Aar. The award wad to be announced and the winning odes published in the Coronation number of " Good Words," which was to be issued about June 20.