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This paper seeks to consider the first ever report by the National Audit Office (NAO) on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

This paper reviews the NAO's report and the FSA's response.

The paper finds that the majority of the NAO's findings and recommendations have been accepted and incorporated into the FSA's planning.

This paper will be of interest to regulated firms and regulatory and public law lawyers.

This paper aims to offer an example of a comprehensive mid-nineteenth century branding strategy in practice.

The paper follows a historical research methodology using archival resources and secondary sources within a conceptual framework of present-day branding theory (Bastos and Levy) and communication theory (Perloff). It interrogates visual and material data to construct a production-led examination of the development of a company brand.

The examination of the material suggests, first, that the company developed a sophisticated, multi-dimensional, multi-functional and materially coherent branding system. Second, it demonstrates that such a system represents an early example of a strategic practice that many scholars have considered to have arisen only in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries. Third, it provides evidence that the origin, if not always the implementation, of the strategy lay with one man, Edward Gibbon Wakefield.

This paper is novel in its use of visual and material culture artifacts to demonstrate the intentions of those who produced them. It also offers an example of practice in an area that is often only explored in theory. It will be of interest to cultural, marketing, visual and material culture historians.

The Asian financial crisis has not only reduced foreign investment in the transition economies of South‐east Asia, but has also impacted on the domestic financial structure with associated implications for strategy and marketing. Despite reform, the formal, state‐dominated banking systems continue to struggle, particularly with competition from the traditional informal financial institutions such as moneylenders, gold dealers and credit circles, a form of competition which is probably much less significant in Western economies. In this context, understanding and explaining consumer savings decisions can most usefully be developed by using ideas from its commitment construct. Implications for marketing and promotional strategies are offered, which include recommendations for strategic alliances with local organisations where consumer commitment already exists.

“WHAT a place to be in, is an old library! It seems as though all the souls of all the writers, that have bequeathed their labours to these Bodleians, were reposing here, as in some dormitory or middle state. I do not want to handle, to profane the leaves, their winding sheets… I seem to inhale learning, walking amid their foliage.” Thus wrote Charles Lamb, of the Bodleian Library, which is the largest library to bear the name of a private benefactor, and amongst British libraries, is second only in importance to the British Museum.

The daily loaf or cake of bread is undoubtedly Man's first and oldest form of prepared food. Except in the the cereal used to make it, it differs little the world all over, but changes are taking place in this staple food, in its preparation and distribution. In recent legal proceedings, a charge of selling a loaf not of the nature, etc., in that it contained rodent contamination, was brought against partners in what was described as the last surviving family baker's business in a relatively large and populous suburban area of London. “Take‐over bids” are the order of the day and in modern business, which includes the baking of bread, the accent is on combination and concentration. The Magistrates must have had a wistful regard for the things that are passing for they fined the “little man” about half the amount they subsequently fined a larger undertaking for a similar type of offence.

Language may be a treasured heritage of small comunities, all that is left to bind them together. It is often a matter of national or regional pride, keeping alive a tongue dead centuries past everywhere else; in an area of the Grisons forty thousand Swiss speak the Latin Romansch, the tongue spoken by the citizens of ancient Rome, and nowhere else in the world is it heard. There are so‐called official languages; in the councils of Europe, it has always been French, which is the official language of the European Economic Community; this means, of course, that all EEC Directives and in due course, judgments of its courts, will be first delivered in French.

THE title of this short paper is somewhat of a misnomer, as the German Volks bibliothek is not the same as an English Public Library. As Dr. Schultze says: “When we speak of an English Public Library we know exactly what is meant, but the German Volks bibliothek does not convey any definite impression. Too often it still means a very small collection of books, probably gifts which are accessible to borrowers at certain hours each week. As a rule, the revenue is so trifling that after paying the small working costs there is little or nothing left for buying books.” Taking, therefore, the term Public Library for the sake of convenience, we may assume that the first Public Library in Germany was opened in Hamburg, in 1529, as the result of Luther's recommendation (1524) “that good libraries, especially in the large towns, should be established.” At the beginning of the 18th century, a number of free libraries were established, these were usually connected with churches and schools, yet their very name “free” seemed an invitation to everyone to share the treasures they contained. These libraries were principally in central Germany and Saxony.

The Conference to be held in London from 20th to 23rd September, 1960, to celebrate the centenary of the “Act for preventing the Adulteration of Articles of Food and Drink” promises to be an auspicious occasion. The celebrations are being sponsored by appropriate Government departments of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and by the various professional bodies concerned. The fullest support of the Food Manufacturers' Federation is also being given to it. The proceedings are to open with a reception given by Her Majesty's Government at Lancaster House on 20th September and during the conference, which will be held at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, meetings, lectures, an exhibition and laboratory visits will demonstrate the progress made in the past 100 years and “show the part which the food chemist plays in improving the quality of food and providing better nutrition and better health.” We trust, however, that the part played by the food chemist will not be allowed to completely overshadow what others have done towards providing a pure food supply for the people. Not all of the chemists' activities have been to this end; the chemical “sophistication” of food in fact constitutes a serious problem.

As our correspondent on another page suggests, the economic crisis may have reactions upon libraries. The most obvious one he mentions is the increased difficulty we shall experience in obtaining American books. Not all libraries, public or private, make any special collection of books published in the United States, although there has been an increasing tendency to buy more as the relations of the two countries have grown closer through their common struggle; in fact, we know libraries which have spent many hundreds of pounds in the course of the past year or two on the select lists of books which have been made for us by American librarians. It is most unfortunate that the manipulation of dollar currency should have brought about a situation in which even the exchange of ideas between the countries becomes more difficult. One suggestion might be made and that is that our American colleagues should continue to sift the literature of this time of famine for us, so that further select lists may be available in better days.

Many changes in the law have occurred since the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875, was placed on the statute book in an effort to regulate in some degree the supply of food. The battle to ensure that food should be of good quality, pure, wholesome and free from disease still continues, though the weapons used have changed somewhat from those early days, and the hands that wield them have been considerably strengthened by Acts which cover the ramifications of the public food supply in a more efficient manner than their predecessors. Despite all the experience gained over these many years of trial and error, the fact remains that the administration of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, is still beset with problems, and the adulteration of food, either wilfully or through sheer ignorance, still continues. The maintenance of good health is brought about not only by a food supply of quantity, but also one of quality. The cost of providing and maintaining an efficient service for checking the purity of the nation's food is heavy, when one takes into account the money spent in maintaining and equipping departments for this purpose. This raises the question as to whether the effort is worth while and the results have justified the means in time and money expended. The answer is of course obvious. It is rather alarming to contemplate what would happen if no control existed and the zealous watch on food were relaxed. Especially is this so to‐day, when food is in short supply and buyers are not so particular with regard to quality as long as there is quantity. Does the average man‐in‐the‐street realise the steps taken by local authorities to protect his health and his pocket? He might occasionally see a report in the Press of a prosecution for food adulteration, but his mind travels no further than the immediate case in question. The work of officials in connection with food and drugs cannot be overestimated and it is to be hoped that new legislation which undoubtedly will be introduced in the years to come to meet the changing conditions will add strength to their activities in preserving the quality and standard of the people's food.