OUR ESTATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

OUR ESTATE.

"The British Empire Since 1783—Its Political and Economic Development," by A. P. Newton and J. Ewing (Methuen), its a very interesting and beautifully illustrated book. It is described by the'authors as an attempt to deal more particularly with the development of the Empire in recent times. Much literature has already accumulated around the origin of the Empire and its growth in the earlier stages of its evolution; but hitherto comparatively little attention has been paid to its recent political and constitutional history, and this book is an attempt to remedy this defect. The first third of the book, dealing with the foundation of the Empire and its history up to 1870, covers ground already well traversed, without too laborious insistence in detail. But it is the remainder of the book, under the title of "The British Empire-Commonwealth," that gives this work its distinctive character. The authors deal carefully and instructively with the chief features of the economic and national development in all the oversea Dominions. There are occasional flaws, due to an obvious lack of personal contact with oversea life, as, for example, the description of an Australian cattle station as a "ranch." But on the whole this portion of the book is accurately compiled, and it provides a large stock of interesting and useful information about the resources and potentialities of Britain's dependencies and their political, as well as their economic, growth. But the most useful part of the book is contained in the concluding sections, which explain, with admirable clearness Britain's relations with India, Egypt and the Middle East, and deal at considerable length with the Imperial Government, the relations between Great Britain and the Dominions, and "the Essential Unity of the Empire." Such topics as the Imperial Conferences, Imperial Federation, Tariff Reform, Dominion _ Status, and the part played by the Dominions in the Peace Settlement, are briefly but skilfully handled; and the general impression produced by this clearly-written and well-balanced book is that' its authors have succeeded admirably in their attempt to supply the long-felt want of a work dealing not only with tlie historical and economic aspects of Empire growth, but with the political and constitutional problems that now seriously concern the Dominions. BOOKS RECEIVED. Joy of the Road, by Elsie K. Morton (Wilson and Horfon, Ltd.) The Poot and the Lunatics, by G. K. Clies- • terton: First Quarter, by S. P. B. Mais ■ • {CassQll and Co., through Arthur J. t Harding,-Ltd.), The Laughing Queen, by E. Barrington (Harrap): Soldiers of Misfortune, by p. C. Wren (John Murray). ("3oth these through Robertson and Mullens.) Di*Double-Di| by C. Mackness; Sunset Hill, by Elizabeth Powell (Cornstalk Co., tliroug-h Angus and Robertson).