STATUTES AND BLUE-BOOKS CONDENSED.* Ire giving to the public what
they term an "Imperial White- Book," Messrs. Cassell are not only conferring an immense boon on those who want books of ready reference, but upon all who desire to study politics. The quantity, the size, the price, and the supposed dreariness and difficulty of our Parliamentary and
• Imperial White-Book.. Tel. 1.01186. Part I. Loudon Cassell and 0o.
State papers, have always made them seem uninviting and inaccessible to the general reader. There are plenty of people who are willing enough to read through and master the dullest details in a report or an Act, if only they find it reprinted in their newspapers, but who would never dream of looking into a Blue-Book or of opening the Statutes at Large. It is no use to argue with or to protest against this prejudice. It is a fact of human nature, and cannot be challenged or altered. The only thing left, then, is that our almost daily draughts of State literature should be edited for the general public, and that the immense stores of useful and entertaining reading that lie buried there should be produced in a form that people will read.
If Messrs. Cassell and Co.'s venture meets with the suc- cess it certainly deserves, a great want will be satisfied. Their Imperial White-Books will give us exactly the thing needed. They will be published each quarter, and will contain,—(1), A summary of Acts of Parliament ; (2), a summary of Bills ; (3), a summary of reports and tabular statements ; (4), an index of all Government publications ; (5), a list of important letters and speeches ; (6), references to contemporary publications dealing with the subjects mentioned in the text. Owing to the peculiar political conditions of the year 1886—the memorable year of two Parliaments—it has not been found possible to adhere exactly to this plan in the first number, which now lies before us. In the future, however, it is intended to maintain strictly the arrangement described above. The present number does not contain the summary of reports. In other respects, however, it is typical of what the series will be. The first place in the volume is naturally given to those Acts which were passed and became law in the Session 49 and 50 of the Queen. It is very interesting, as we turn the pages, to see, even in the stormy days of 1886, when the Home-rule crisis was at it height, how many changes and additions were made in the laws of England. Here we find that curious anomaly of legislation, so strikingly English in its nature, " The Metropolitan Police Compensation Act, 1886," where the very same legislative wheels that Mr. Gladstone sought to set in motion in order to revolutionise the Constitution, and shatter that unity of Empire which has been building since the prows of Hengist and Horse touched the shore of Kent, were worked to remedy the grievance of a few shopkeepers whose windows had been smashed by a mob of boys and rowdies. Then there is the Marriage Act, under which the " unlawful hours " of the statute 4 Geo. IV., c. 76, become lawful and proper hours for matri- mony, and which might well have had for " short title," " An Act to abolish the custom of wedding-breakfasts, and to substi- tate in lieu thereof the drinking of afternoon tea." The Guardianship of Infants Act, 1886, perhaps the most im- portant Act passed during last year, is clearly and well sum- marised. We prefer, however, to quote the Crofters Act as an example of the method of condensation adopted in the Imperial White-Book. For all ordinary purposes, it seems a sufficiently explicit digest of the main results of the Act :— ■■ CROFTERS' HOLDINGS (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1886. (§ 35.)-49 and 50 Viet., c. 29 (25th Stme,1886.)—Preamble : It is expedient to amend the law relating to the tenure of land by crofters in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.' Parts I., II., and III. provide : (§ 1.) That a crofter shall not be removed from his holding except for breach of statutory conditions,' bat he shall have no power to assign his tenancy, subdivide his holding, or sublet the same or any part thereof.' The right of taking minerals, Ire., is reserved to the landlord. (§ 2.) The landlord may resume the holding, under certain conditions, upon antis- fying the Crofters' Commission that its resumption is for some reason- able and useful purpose. The crofter may be removed from his holding for non-payment of rent, or for breaking the statutory conditions. (§ 4.) The rent to be the present rent. (§ 5.) May be altered by agree. ment. (§ 6.) The Commission may fix the fair rent. (§ 7.) A crofter may renounce his tenancy upon giving one year's notice in writing, at usual term for each notice. Part IV. provides for com- pensation for improvements on removal from tenancy. (§ 8.) Crofter to be entitled to compensation for permanent improvements, if suitable to the holding, and if paid for by tenant or predecessor; provided such were not executed in virtue of specific agreement. (§ 9 ) Cotter to be similarly compensated upon same conditions. (§ 10.) Prin- ciple of valuation to be actual valae to incoming tenant—lees the value of assistance given or consideration afforded by landlord or predecessors in title, and value of deterioration proved to have taken place daring the preceding four years. Part V. provides for enlargement of holdings. (§ 11.) Five or more crofters may (upon refusal of landlord to let land available for the purpose on reasonable terms) apply to the Commission, who shall (§ 12) intimate to landlords that such application has been made, and their alleged refusal to let available land ae aforesaid; and, after inquiry, if satisfied, the Commission may make order for lease of any suoh laud at fair rent, upon such conditions as may be considered just. The right of common pasturage may also be conferred, and use of seaweed, peat-bogs, heather, and grass for certain purposes, under !scheme for regulating
the same, the charge for which to be included in the fixed rent. (§ 13.) Land to be available for the purposes of this Act must be contigaons or near to that already in the occupancy of crofters making application for enlargement, and belong to same landlord. Certain lands, enumerated, are not held to be available for the purposes of the Act, such as leased lands, gardens, parks, plantations, part of farms, or deer-forest. If sporting lands are assigned, deductions may be made from rent held for such purposes. Crofter may bequeath his holding under certain conditions. Part VI. provides for appointment of Commissioners, and lays down methods of procedure ; defines area covered by the Act ; fixes period as to duration of powers relating to enlargement of holdings, and generally directs as to evidence, reports, execution of orders, arbitration, de."
The next section of the book deals with Public Bills. Among these, the place of prominence is, of course, given to the Govern- ment of Ireland Bill. The abstracts that have been published of Mr. Gladstone's Home-rule proposals have been many ; but we do not remember to have seen one, on the whole, fairer or more complete than this. Of course, there are slight omissions ; but if that were not so, it would not be an abstract but a reprint. In a note is added a list of all the most important publications on both sides dealing with the question. This is indeed a useful acquisition, since there is nothing, as a rule, more difficult to obtain than the reference to a pamphlet six months old. After the Bills, we get a complete index to the House of Lords' Papers and Bills, and of the House of Commons' Reports and Papers. How many journalists and politicians have longed to hold such a list in their hands while debating the agonising question,—" Was there, or was there not, a Blue-Book dealing with the subject printed last year p" Then comes a " General Index of Government Publications ;" and last, what is perhaps the most original thing in the book, "A Summary of the Prin. cipal Parliamentary and extra-Parliamentary Speeches, and of
the most important Letters on matters of public interest,
reported or published from July 1st to September 30th, 1886, inclusive, with a brief reference to the contents of each speech or letter, the date of report, and the place of delivery, 86c." Under this head, we find entries like the following :—" CHA3111EN.
Lux, J.—Letter to a Liberal Elector in London : intend to vote only for Unionist candidates at the present Election.'— Times, July 2nd." This list, giving as it does a considerable number of verbatim quotations from speeches and letters, will prove as useful as anything in the book.
Before concluding our notice of the first of the Imperial White- Books, we can only say again that a very great service will be rendered to the public by their issue. They will in a great measure solve the question which is so often propounding itself to the conscientious citizen,—" Are there not things in last year's Statutes and Blue-Books that I ought to read ?" To answer the question, he will now have nothing to do but to turn to a copy of Messrs. Cassell and Co.'s new publication.
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