EDUCATION IN QUEENSLAND. 723 



Commonwealth, was the most notable figure at the Imperial Confer- 

 ence of 1907, overshadowing even the venerable Sir Wilfred Laurier. 

 Australia was ably represented at the Federal Conference of 

 Education held the same year under the auspices of the League of 

 tlie Empire; the Franco-British Exhibition has brought the resourees 

 of Australia proixdiiently before the British people and foreign 

 visitors ; and America has paid a graceful tribute to the young 

 nation by sending her fleet to visit her shores. 



Australia has emerged from her obscurity, but the passing into 

 tlie light will bring its risks as well as its privileges." 



During the past few years, also, a spirit of discontent and unrest, 

 a sure sign of life and vitality, has arisen in the several Australian 

 .States in connection with their education systems, and many 

 missioners have gone abroad to study the systems of other lands. 

 These missioners agree broadly that the State-controlled, free, and 

 compulsory system of primaiy education in Australia is not sui-passed 

 by the system of primary education in any other country; though, 

 there may be defects in details the genei'al principles are sound. On the 

 other hand, however, the consensus is that in other branches of 

 education the Commonwealth is lagging behind. But she is now 

 awake to her shortcomings; State is eagerly watching State in 

 regard to educational developments, and a keeii and healthy rivalry 

 exists which should be productive of good. At the Federal Conference 

 on Education held in London in 1907 it was announced that the 

 Imperial Government was so convinced of the value of such Confer- 

 ences that it was seriously anxious that they should be called regularly 

 and that they should bear the Imperial imprimatur. The first of 

 the Conferences on Education to be convened by the Home Govern- 

 ment is to be held in 1911, and it is probable that quadrennial 

 conferences will be convened thei'eafter. These conferences will 

 doubtless play an important part in the development of the education 

 systems of Australia. Through her chosen representatives she will 

 be kept well informed as to the progress being made in Britain, and 

 in other parts of the Empire, and the horizon of her educationists 

 should be materially widened. But in many respects the directors 

 of education in the Commonwealth will have to solve their problems 

 imaided ; conditions in Australia are so widely different from those 

 in the older countries that the old has few lessons to teach the new in 

 regard to some aspects of education in the new lands. Particularly 

 is this the case in Queensland ; she must work out her own 

 salvation ; she must plough her furrow alone. 



QUEENSLAND. 

 From the 10th December, 1859, the date of the founding o^ 

 Queensland, to the 30th September, 1860, primary education was 

 under the control of a Board of National Education appointed by the 

 Governor in Council. That board consisted of W. Hobbs, A. KafI, 

 W. J. Munce, and W. H. Day. Wlien the board took office 

 there were only two National schools in Queensland. The system 

 of primary education obtaining in New South Wales was continued, 

 but the subject of education was one of the earliest matters which 

 received the consideration of the first Parliament of Queensland, and, 

 in 1860, an Act to provide for primary education was passed. The 



