THE NEW POET LAUREATE

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1930, Page 9

THE NEW POET LAUREATE

JOHN MASEFIELD CHOSEN

GENERAL SATISFACTION

EVEN MR. SHAW APPROVES

By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.

Rec. 5.5 p.m. London, May 10. Dr. John Masefield has been appointed Poet Laureate in succession to the late Dr. Bridges. Dr. Masefield's appointment was announced from the Lord Ohamberlain’s office, Buckingham Palace, in this manner: “The King has graciously been pleased to appoint John Masefield, Esq., D. Litt., to be Poet Laureate in ordinary to His Majesty in the room of Robert Bridges, Esq., 0.M., D.Litt., M.A.. deceased.”

Mr. Masefield was the “general favourite” for the post. Probably he is the only poet laureate who ever earned a living handing pots of beer over a bar in a public house. This was 30 years ago, when lie was stranded in New York.

i Everybody appears thoroughly pleased with the appointment. Viewpoints are epitomised by Mr. Bernard Shaw, who says; “The King could not have appointed a better man.” The Daily Express editorially says: ‘lf we must have a laureate then Dr. Masefield is as good as any of the halfdozen who might have filled the silences left by Dr. Bridges.” Though frequently denied, the view still persists in public that Kipling was ruled out for the post owing tp the “Widow of Windsor” poem, but it is generally believed he would not have accepted in any case.

As the cablegram suggests, the career of the new Poet Laureate has been varied. He is an Englishman, born in Shropshire 55 years ngo, and he has ‘travelled extensively. Ife has had some journalistic experience * and has been known as a writer of books for nearly 30 years, his first book of poems having appeared in 1902. He is perhaps as well known for his novels, plays and general prose works-as for his poems. A list of his principal books is:— Poetry. —“The Widow in Bye Street” (1912); “Reynard the Fox”; “Dauber”; “Lollingdon Downs”; “Enslaved” (1920). Novels—“ Multitude,” “Solitude” (1909) “Sard Harker” (1924) and “Odtaa.”

Plays.—“ The Tragedy .of Pompey the Great” (1910); “Good Friday” (1916). Miscellaneous.- —“Shakespeare” (criticism) ; “Sea Life in Nelson’s Time” (history) ; “Gallipoli” and “The Front Line” (war sketches).