SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Notice in this column does not necessarily preclude subvwent review.] Parliamentary Elections under the Reform Act, 1918. By J. Renwiok Seeger. (P. S. King. 5s. net.)—Mr. Seager's valuable little handbook to the new Reform Act appears opportunely, for the law concerning elections has been materially changed, and candi- dates, election agents, and voters have to beware of many pitfalls. The drastic reduction of permissible election expenditure to seven- pence for each elector in a county or fivepence in a borough is a good thing in itself, but it will compel the old-fashioned agent to change his methods. At the same time Mr. Seeger points out that there is much doubt_ as to the true definition of election expenses. An old judgment of 1886 holds that " the cost of running a newspaper, although owned by the candidate and run entirely in his interest as a candidate, is not an expense ` on account of or in respect of the conduct or management of an election.' " Special election newspapers cannot be issued now for lack of paper, but it seems curious that they should be regarded by the Courts as distinct from the ordinary election pamphlets. There seems to be considerable doubt as to the right of a woman to vote in more than one constituency, other than a University. The Act, as usual, was worded somewhat carelessly.
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