7 NOVEMBER 1908, Page 43

The Management of Private Affairs. By Joseph King and others.

(The Clarendon Press. 2s. 6d. net.)—Here we have a collection of information such as may be useful for the common affairs of life. The renting of houses, and all the various liabilities con- nected therewith ; the relations between a bank and its customers, —there is a mysterious item of " charges" of which it is difficult to discover the governing laws ; investments, stocks and shares,— there is a salutary caution against "good things," which those " who know" sometimes suggest ; insurances,—surely to say that "a ratio of expenses to premium income of about 25 per cent. is a good example of management" is over-charitable : there are mutual offices which have a ratio as low as 8 per cent.; wills, taxes, and other matters are treated of. This is likely to be a most useful volume.