Local Development Law: A Survey of the Powers of Local Authorities in Regard to Housing, Roads, Buildings, Lands and Town Planning. By H. C. DOWDALL, Barrister-at-Law, Lecturer on Town Planning Law in the University of Liverpool and Legal Member of the Town Planning Institute. Demy 8vo, cloth. 10s. 6d. NET. Inland Postage 6d. This book, which incorporates the important legislation just passed on the subject, has been written at the request of architects and surveyors as well as lawyers, council clerks, and councillors, who have complained that they have been unable to find the kind of information which it supplies in a brief, comprehensive, and intelligible form. For the law of housing, roads, parks, open spaces, allotments, public buildings, town planning, private Bill procedure, compensation, and kindred matters bearing on the public control of land and the use of land for public purposes is contained in many large volumes through which even a skilled lawyer finds his way with difficulty. Mr. Dowdall's work deals with all these subjects systematically and fully, almost in the form of a code, but it is held together and enlivened by a certain measure of historical and illustrative matter, and avoids unnecessary detail by giving references through which the fullest information is made readily accessible to those who desire it, but perhaps do not know where to look for it. The author is of opinion that local authorities are often imperfectly aware of the full range and scope of the powers which they enjoy, or of the manner in which they might be co-ordinated and brought to bear upon what is, after all, the single and indivisible problem of town planning and town improvement. My Italian Year. Observations and Reflections in Italy, 1917-18. By JOSEPH COLLINS. Demy 8vo, cloth. 10s. 6d. NET. Inland Postage. 6d. In the latter part of 1917 the author was assigned to military duty in Italy. The nature of his duties brought him in close contact with Italians in every walk of life and every part of the kingdom. Italy was not previously unknown to him, as he had made already frequent visits. He presents a study of the Italian temperament, describes the different social classes, gives a study of the governmental machine, describes various sights and monuments (not at all in the tourist manner), and altogether writes a very original book. The author has been trained by a life of observation, examination and deduction, as the work itself clearly shows. He writes with lucidity and charm, and though, as he says, he has been since childhood a lover of Italy, he writes with great impartiality of certain features of the Italian people. Despite the fact that the war enters the book to a certain extent, its main interest is by no means the war, but the fascinating study it presents of the Italian character, ways and manners, and of Italy generally.