The Voter's Guide and Canvasser's Manual. By J. Trevor Davies,
Solicitor. (George Routledge and Sons.)—The greater part of this little handbook is happily less dependent upon original research and an ordinary acquaintance with history than the introduction. A writer who begins by telling us that "Lord" Coke wrote his "Institutes" in 1660, that the word Parliament is derived from two Celtic words " Parly " and " ment " or "mend," -and that the name of the House of "Commons" is derived from "commune" concilium regni, does not inspire the curious reader-with confidence. He is not, perhaps, much more accurate or helpful when he comes to "voters under the Service Franchise" as a distinct class of persons entitled to be registered. A "Solicitor of the Supreme Court," who tells us that "as to the meaningand extent of the term 'Franchise many who have talked the most have known the least," ought at least to know better than to describe as a distinct franchise a mere incidental provision which removes a disqualification from those who would otherwise possess a franchise. If he had looked at the instructions attached to the Registration Act from which he proposes to take his classifica- tion, he would have seen that no such special class is thereby men- tioned, though certain instructions are given under the heading of the Franchise of Inhabitant Occupiers "in case of what is rommonly called the Service Franchise, just as separate instructions are given in the case of a house let in separate tenements." From misunder- standing or not understanding the "Service Franchise," Mr. Davies gives a most ronfused and useless account of the Service Franchise, under which he places the separate occupation of a dwelling-house let out in separate tenements. In fact, as far-as the franchise and registration is concerned, except where the Registration Act and its schedules are eopied verbatim, the book is useless. Mr. Davies seems, however, to be more at home in the Ballot and Corrupt Practices Acts ; and this part of the book may be useful for those who have to pilot themselves or others through a course of electioneering.
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