1256 



Notices of Books. 



[mar. 



Syllabus of the Horace Plunkett Foundation Lectures on Rural 

 Soclologry. — A. W. Ashb}^ (Institute for Research in Agricultural Econo- 

 mics, Parks Road, Oxford, 6d., post free). These lectures were delivered 

 by Mr. A. W. Ashby at the Barnett House, Oxford, during the 

 Michaelmas term, 1919. The course was intended to provide an 

 introduction to the study of rural society and to general social conditions 

 in agricultural districts. Although not primarily historical, the lectures 

 deal with aspects of the history of rural life in England and Wales during 

 the 19th century. The reading courses suggested in the pamphlet 

 should be of value to outside students. 



Report of the Army Cattle Oommlttee, — Part II. — (London: H.M. 

 Stationery Office, 1919. 2d. net.) The Committee appointed in 191 7 

 to make arrangements for the purchase of cattle in the United Kingdom 

 for the feeding of the Army during the latter months of the year 1917 

 have recently issued Part II. of their Report. The period during which 

 the Committee were called upon to provide the troops in Great Britain - 

 with home-killed meat extended from ist September, 191 7, to December, 

 1917, and during this time 76,186 head of cattle were purchased and 

 dispatched to the abattoirs. The object of the issue of Part II. of the 

 Report is to give particulars of the purchases, including the number and 

 weight of cattle dealt with and the expenditure incurred during the period 

 of the v/ork. In their concluding observations the Committee record 

 that their methods of organisation of purchase throughout the country 

 formed the. basis of the nmoTiing and control of live stock by the Ministry 

 of Food, which was extended to all civilian supplies, at the close of the 

 Committee's operations. 



Part I. of the Report, which was issued in 191 8 (price is. net,), 

 contains the statistical data which the Committee used as the basis of 

 their action in the purchase of supplies. A number of tables of 

 returns of cattle and meat production in this country, are given, and 

 should bs useful for purposes of reference to those interested in the 

 subject. 



Report of the inter-Departmental Committee on Meat Supplies. — 



(London : H.M. Stationery Office, 191 9. 36?. net.) The teiins of refer- 

 ence of this Committee were " to consider and report on ths means of 

 securing sufficient meat supplies for the United Kingdom at reasonable 

 prices, with special regard to the developm.ent of meat production in 

 the United Kingdom, and to the protection of British markets and of 

 producing countries within the Empire from domination by foreign 

 organisations.'"* This wide subject is dealt with under four headings : 

 (i) the present situation, (2) the future production with regard to the 

 United Kingdom, Oversea Dominions, and British meat companies 

 in foreign countries, (3) distribution in the L'nited Kingdom, and (4) 

 general anti-trust measures. The Report concludes with a number of 

 conclusions and recommendations. 



Report of the Oversea Settlement Committee. — (London: H.M. 

 Stationery Office, 1920. -^d. net.) This Report is for the year ended 

 31st December last, and deals with the question of settlement overseas 

 within the Empire, and emigration to foreign countries. The Committee 

 make a number of observ^ations and recommendations with a view of 

 enabling the Government to deal with the problems which are likely to 

 arise during the present period of " reconstruction." Certain infonna- 

 tion contained in the Report may be of interest to intending land 

 settlers from this country, although little matter is purely agricultural. 



