The Gazette 1973

BOOK REVIEWS Salmond (Sir John)—The Law of Torts. 16th edition. Ed. by R. F. V. Heuston. Royal 8vo.; pp. xcii, G47; London, Sweet & Maxwell, 1973; paperback £3.85. Since its first edition in 1907, Sir John Salmond's learned treatise on the law of torts has undergone no less than sixteen editions, and Professor Heuston has successfully edited all editions since the 13th in 1963 while the 13th edition contained 825 pages of text, and even the 15th edition (1969) contained 840 pages, the pagination has now been reduced by nearly 200 pages, a remarkable achievement. Professor Heuston differs from this reviewer in regarding as hallowed Sir John's original text, and has admitted that, in relation to certain matters, he has not altered it. In this reviewer's opinion, it would have been better if Professor Heuston, with his vast experience o fwriting legal literature, had frankly published a new textbook on Torts under his own name. All the lucid features of Professor Heuston's previous editorship, are here with the addition of up to date English—and, alas, too few Irish—cases. This reviewer has used Salmond in giving tuition in tort, and is broadly surprised how relatively little change the text has undergone on the whole. It surprises me, in relation to licences, that so much space should be devoted to hoary cases like Wood v. Leadbitter and Hurst v. Picture Theatres : a very few lines would have been ample. There is however little doubt that the chapters on defamation and on negli- gence are fascinating to read, as the lucid learning of the illustrous editor are so evident. A few incidental references, have been made to the Irish Civil Liability Act 1961, but, in the view of this reviewer, its out- standing features should have been fully noted. How- ever the practitioner who has studied and remembers the principles of tort displayed expertly in this volume by Professor Heuston, will have reason to thank the learned editor for greatly facilitating his task. Encyclopaedia of European Law. Volume A—United Kingdom Sources. General Editor : K. R. Simmonds. 8vo; looseleaf. (The pagination is different according to the parts used.) London, Sweet & Maxwell; New York, Matthew Bender, 1973; looseleaf, £17.50. It was a happy idea of Messrs. Sweet & Maxwell and of Messrs. Bender to think of publishing a full Encyclo- paedia of European Law; it is proposed to issue 3 volumes—Volume A—United Kingdom Sources : Vol- ume B—European Community Treaties and Volume C—Community Secondary Legislation : Volume A has now appeared. Part A1 is a most Annotated Edition of the English European Communities Act 1972, which is somewhat more extensive than the corresponding Irish Act. Part A2 consists of 2 5 other annotated British Acts which directly or indirectly affect Euro- pean Communities Law. Part A3 consists of 79 Anno- tated British Rules and Orders relating to Community Law. Part A4 lists in full with annotations the Com- mand Papers, Parliamentary Reports and circulars issued in Britain relating to the European Community. The fact that Dr. K. R. Simmonds, Director of the

British Institute of International Law, is the General Editor of this vast Encyclopaedia, will ensure that it is accurate and useful. Furthermore, as the volume has the advantage of being loose-leaf, it will be easy to insert additional loose-leaf material as and when it is published, subject lo an annual supplementary fee. As broadly speaking, the Irish legislation and relevant statutory instruments will be similar in context to the material published in this volume, it should prove most useful to any Irish practitioner who will have to under- take much work in connection with European Com- munity Law, which, as previously stated, is as much Irish Law as if it had been passed by the Oireachtas. Sanctuary (Gerald)—Before You See a Solicitor. 8vo.; pp. v, 117; It's your law sense. Published by the Law Society and Oyez, London, 1973; 60p. The authority of this book is unquestioned, as Mr. Sanctuary is the Chairman of the Professional and Public Relations Committee of the English Law Society. The main purpose of the book is to explain the work of the Solicitor to the layman, and his role in society. He rightly stresses that in many respects, such as the question of deserted wives, the law is unsatisfactory. In England they have the advantage not only of Free Legal Advice Centres, but also of Citizens' Advice Bureaux, to help the ignorant litigant; Zander, Readers Digest Family Guide to the law (1971) is also strongly recommended. It is stressed that a solicitor is at all times deemed to be a trained lawyer and that it is essentially a friendly profession. In England, the happy position exists whereby the majority of solicitors now in private practice are working as members of a firm, but of course partnerships carry substantial negligence in- surance, and it i swise to organise the offices into specialised departments. The English Solicitors' Re- muneration Order 1972 sets out the guidelines which a solicitor must observe in charging a scale fee in con- veyancing matters. It is stressed that the majority of solicitors use the time-costing system, and the impor- tance of preliminary inquiries before signing a contract is also emphasised. There are also useful chapters on Property, Family Law and Legal Aid. This is an essen- tial book for the layman who wants to understand the solicitor's profession. Community Law —A selection of publications on the Law of the European Economic Community and the relevant Law of the original member states—published by the British and Irish Association of Law Libra- rians, London. 4vo., pp. v, 64; obtainable from Mr. Breem, Librarian, Inner Temple, London E.C.4; £2.25. Up to the publication mainly by Miss Charlotte Lutyens and Miss Muriel Anderson, of this most useful bibliography, it was very difficult to obtain in English any accurate bibliographical data about legislation, law reports and textbooks relating not only to the European Economic Community, but also relating to the Con- tinental Member States, other than Denmark—namely Belgium, France, Federal Germany, Italy, Luxembourg 246