724- PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION J. 



Bill was initiated in the Legislative Council by Captain O'Connell, 

 and Mr. R. G. W. Herbert had charge of the measure in the Legislative 

 Assembly. The object of the measure was to provide primary 

 education under one general and comprehensive system, and to 

 aSord facilities to persons of all denominations for the education of 

 their children in the same school without prejudice to their religious 

 beliefs. The Act pro-sdded for the appointment of a " Board of 

 General Education" to consist of five members, together with a 

 Minister of the Crown who would, et officio, act as. Chairman of the 

 Board. The m.embers of the first Board of General Education were : — 

 A. Macalister (Chairman), R. G. W. Herbert, R. Bring, R. R. Mac- 

 kenzie, A. W. Manning, and J. Panton. The scheme of primaiy 

 education which the board framed was based upon the general prin- 

 ciples of the National sj^stem in operation in L-eland. Schools were 

 divided into two classes — Vested and Non-vested. The vested schools 

 were unsectarian in character. The aid granted by the board towards 

 the establishment, equipment, and up keep of schools varied from time 

 to time, and ranged from one-half to two-thirds. The board appointed 

 the teachers. The salaries of teachers were supplemented by school 

 fees, ranging from 3d. to Is. (3d. per week for each scholar according 

 to his standard in the school work. When the board took office there 

 were 10 teachers, 493 pupils, and 4 schools. The employees of the 

 board were: — Inspector, Randall Macdonnell ; secretary, R. Bourne; 

 teachers, J. Rendall, J. Harris, J. Scott, A. Narracott, A. Stewart, J. 

 Robertson, and Miss Berry; pupil-teachers. Miss Taylor, Miss Marshall, 

 and C. Francis. The four schoois were :— --Brisbane (Boys); Brisbane 

 (Girls); Drayton; and Warwick. The total expenditiu'e in 1860 was 

 is 1,6 15 2s. 3d. School fees were abolished by Charles Lilley from the 

 1st of Januaiy, 1870, and since that date primary State education in 

 Queensland has been free. 



The Education Act of 1860 was superseded by "The State 

 Education Act of 1875"; that Act came into operation on the 1st 

 January, 1876, and is still in force. The author of the Act was Sir 

 S. W. Griffith, the present Chief Justice of the Commonwealth, and 

 he was the first Minister for Public Instruction in Queensland. The 

 first Under Secretaiy was Mr. C. J. Graham. On the 31st December, 

 1875, there were 230 schools in operation, the aggregate attendance 

 for the year being 33,643, and the average 16,887. The number of 

 teachers employed ivas 595, and the total expenditure for the year was 

 £83,219 14s. 9d. The new Act provided that the Avhole system of 

 public instruction in Queensland, formerly administered by the Board 

 of General Education, should be transferred to a department of the 

 Public Service to be called the Department of Public Instruction. 

 State aid to non-vested schools was withdrawn as from the 31st 

 December, 1880. When this Act was passed it was regarded as the 

 most progressive Education Act in Australia. Primary education was 

 brought entirely under the control of the State ; the incubus of vested 

 rights was strangled in its infancy; and a system was evolved which 

 the critical test of thirty-three years has proved to be in keeping with 

 the highest ideals of a true democracy. The British Cabinet and the 

 English Board of Education Avoiild feel the cares of office less irksome 

 if they could find themselves in the same happy position to-day. 



