Recent Book: Children
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X7905200424 |
| Published date | 01 October 1979 |
| Author | Pauline C. Low |
| Date | 01 October 1979 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
that many of the young barristers seek
ways of coming to terms with what is on
the one hand a splendid sentiment of
independence which on the other might
lead to clients suffering financially for
having to brief too many people to look
after their intrests. The Trade Unions of
the profession are well entrenched.When
all is said and done, however, even the
greatest
critics
of
the
present
arrangements
would
have
to
acknowledge that with all its faults, this
country is really well served by the
integrity of the vast majority of barristers
and we should rejoice in that. J.C.A.
Edited by
ROMAN
TOMASIC.
Understanding Lawyers.
Allen &Unwin £5.95.
As with its English counterpart, the
legal profession of New South Wales,
Australia is currently the subject of far
reaching enquiry. This is not surprising
since in many ways it mirrors the
profession in England whereupon it is
based. This book is described as the first
volume of this series which will examine
the interaction of the Law Society in
Australiaand the 22 essayscontained init
represent the views not only of lawyers
but of social scientists as well.
Generally speaking the essays are only
of passing interest to practitioners in this
Country but they do serve as interesting
comparisons with our own current
attitudes. It might be agreed that books
of this kind merely serve to highlight the
tremendous impact of change affecting
all
western
countries
and
their
institutions. As people become more and
more concerned with the control of
power
in
all
its
forms,
it is
understandable that an institution as
powerful as the legal system will come in
for a good deal of scrutiny and change
now and in the future.
One of the more interesting essays in
this book of 500 pages describes lawyers
and policemen in a small town in New
South Wales. Having regard to the large
size of the State of New South Walesand
the fact that the Police are \ state
controlled from Sydney means that they
are moved about in the system and
according to the writer "do not form part
of the local corps status system". The
result of this is that they turn inwards
towards each other for support and
social lifeand away from members ofthe
local community. Such things as
policemen's perks are free drinks in
hotels and clubs, meals in restaurants
and car servicing in garages are well
known according to the writer, and in
this sense the police pattern seems to fit
closer to the American model than to our
own. Not surprisingly, this kind ofPolice
corruption
occasionally
causes
considerable problems for both police
and community, giving rise to conflict
and antagonism. One rather sad
comment takes the following form - "In
Bradstow the Police Sergeant and two or
three solicitors are members of the
Rotary but they have little social inter-
action and the Sergeant is looked down
upon by many members of the Club."
Australia's vaunted classlesssociety does
not seem to stand up to this examination.
In our own case (nearly 20% of members
of the House of Commons are lawyers),
lawyers in New South Walesseem to play
a leading part in politics.
This book makes interesting reading to
anybody
who'
would appreciate an
account of an English institution at work
in antipodean setting. J.C.A.
CHILDREN
In the Year
of
the Child, thefollowing 'Child Development' by S.R. Aibron,
four
books deserve some mention published Holt. Rinehart and Winston.
as examples
of
the variety
of
information £10 is written for the first year American
available to the modern Police Officer, college students (equivalent to our sixth
on the psychological development
of
aforms), in a clear style and is well
childfrom the pre-natal to the adolescent illustrated. It gives a coherent account
stage, and on the extensive systems and from its first chapter on pre-natal
methods society invents to manage the development to its last on adolescence, of
problems.
Two'
of
the books are human development.
American and would serve as useful text The context is however perhaps a little
booksfor
any student. two are Britishand too coherent, suggestingthat all is known
somewhat more narrow in their scope. of the psychology of thought for
412 October 1979
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