THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OF THE BRITISH DOMINIONS By Professor A.
B. Keith
Professor Keith in a series of learned works has sought for many years to keep pace with the development of inter- Imperial relations. NQW that the Statute of Westminster (1931) has virtually recognized the complete and independent sovereignty of each Dominion under a common Crown, Professor Keith's new book on The Constitutional Law of the British Dominions (Macmillan, 18s.) may perhaps be regarded as final, since the Dominions can have no fuller sovereignty than they now possess within the Empire. The author, as usual, deals most thoroughly and most dispassionately with a delicate and complex subject, and besides explaining the precise effect of recent changes, as regards Great Britain, the Dominions and foreign nations, he • gives his own views on doubtful points. For example, Professor Keith holds that, if the Irish Free State chose to secede from the Empire, " nothing save British legislation could deprive Irish citizens not resident in Ireland of their status as British subjects." And, he adds, "This fact is only one more reason for holding that secession of any part of the Empire would only be possible by he con- sent of the British Parliament expressed in legislation." Professor Keith's profound knowledge of Dominion laws and of constitutional .practice makes his book indispensable to all who are concerned with the working of the Empire as a great league of English-speaking nations. Those who feared that the removal a the old legal ties foreshadowed a general break-up should be reassured by the author's hopeful tone. He is much more concerned about the disputes that may arise out of the Ottawa trade agreements, which, he thinks, are decidedly unfavourable to the Mother Country.
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