640 / 736
explaining the facts simply. There is excellent
background information as to the origins of the
European Movement. It is emphasised that the
Community is an integration and harmonization
of six National economic programmes. It must
be stressed that the Treaty of Rome is for an un
limited period, and it is understood that in the
event of dissent, certain concessions would be
made to the Community spirit by members. It
must be remembered that the Community and its
Institutions — Commision, Court, European
Parliament — were established as independant
organisations free from direct national interfer
ence. Apart from the Treaty of Rome itself, there
are numerous regulations and references to named
commodities. Even when the Investment Bank
was set up, certain financial concessions were
made; then there is the Development Fund to
aid overseas territories. The European
Commission is already responsible for over 1,000
decisions. The Commission of 14 members has
8,000 civil servants, and about 40 Commissions.
The real work of the European Parliament is done
in its 10 Committees. The European Court has
automatic and compulsory jurisdiction within its
sphere of activities and Community law. A
detailed description of the personnel of tne
Commission and of the Court is given. It is
stressed that EFTA differs from the Community
inasmuch as there is no mention of any non-
economic objective, nor of any proposition to
achieve a common policy as between the member
states themselves. The volume is well illustrated
by simple statistics and well worth reading.
C.G.D.
Annual Survey of Commonwealth Law,
1968.
8vo; pp. 855. (London, Butterworth,
1969. £8-8-0).
This is the Fourth Volume in this series
published by Butterworths. It is an interesting,
indeed an exciting series. It shows the straight
and unerring vitality of the Common Law
Tradition. The Common Law ensures uniformity
in diverse political and social conditions as far
apart as Australia and India. This book reflects
how little political difficulties affect the flowing
development of Law in the Commonwealth in
1968.
Its twenty essays cover almost all branches of
law — Constitutional, Administrative, Criminal,
Tort, Contract, Property, Commercial, Company,
Taxation, Labour, International Law etc. The
Contributors include such well known names as
G. H. Treitel, Paul O'Higgins and E. R. Hardy
Ivany and therefore the standard is exceptionally
high.
The book is of considerable Irish interest and
relevance as we are members of the Legal (if not
political) commonwealth family. Reference is
made to a considerable number of Irish cases
both North and South of the Border. On the
question of Automism in Criminal Law,
Brutty
v. A.G. for N.I.
(1963 A.C. 386) is considered—
also on the nature of satisfying evidence. On
criminal evidence the
People v. O'Brien, and The
People v. Crosbie,
are also mentioned. The
Supreme Court decision on Bail of
A. G. v.
O'Callaghan
(1967 I.LTR45) is considered at
length, it being pointed out that not all Courts
take so liberal a view, even if similar views are
formed in Australia
(Reg. v. Mahoney-Smith
1967 A.L154) and Ceylon
(Permasivi v. A.G.
(1967) 73CLW 66). In view of the ramblings of
Legislative amendment the provision of S.I8 of
the English Criminal Justice Acts
1967 is
relevant. In the chapter on Judicial Developments
Budd J's decision of
Cahill v. Irish Motor
Traders' Association
is considered at some
length.
I have said enough to show the Irish interest
in the Book. However, the real value of the
series for us is that it collects a hitherto un
related volume of case law into an accessible
and digestible form.
The printing and binding in these volumes
are of a high standard, and the Publishers are
consequently to be congratulated.
R. Pierse
The Law of Succession,
Anthony R. Mellows.
607 and (index) 24 pp.; paperback £3.
Dr. Mellows, who is an admitted solicitor, is
Director of Conveyancing Studies at King's
College, London. This book is made more
pertinent by the fact that it results from his
experience as a university teacher and as a
partner in a London firm of solicitors.
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