32 2 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



for tlie education of the youtli of tlie Colony. From year to year, 

 tliouo-li witli little immediate eifect, lie continued to press tlie matter 

 on tlie notice of tlie Council, and in 1836 lie recommended the intro- 

 duction of the Irish National system, founded a few years before by 

 Lord Stanley. Bourke's successor, Sir George Gipps, followed the 

 same line of policy as his predecessor, but without avail. In 1843 Dr. 

 Lang made a fruitless attempt to introduce a comprehensive system. 

 In the following year Eobert Lowe succeeded in obtaining the appoint- 

 ment of a Select Committee to inquire and report. As a result of the 

 work of this committee Mr. Robinson moved that the Irish National 

 system should be adopted. After various amendments and much dis- 

 cussion, in which Mr. Cowper, Mr. Windeyer, Mr. Lowe, and Mr. 

 Wentworth figured prominently, it was decided to introduce the Irish 

 system, but still to recognise and assist Denominational Schools. It 

 was not, however, till 1848, four years later, that anything practical 

 was done, when on the 4th of January the first National Board was 

 appointed consisting of Mr. J. H. Plunkett, Mr. W. Macleay, and 

 Dr. Nicholson. At the same time Messrs. Eiddell, G. Allen, Callaghan, 

 and T. Barker were appointed a Board " for the temporal regulation 

 and inspection of Denomiuational Schools." 



This system, while it proved to be a great advance on the previous 

 method, or, rather, lack of method, nevertheless on the score of 

 expense, and by reason of its divided jurisdiction, was not so complete 

 a success as its promoters could have wished ; so, after many attempts, 

 at length in 1866 an Act was passed by Mr. (now Sir H.) Parkes, 

 which abolished the tv\'0 old Boards, and provided for the formation 

 of a new body, to be called the Council of Education, which should 

 disburse all funds paid by the State for educational purposes, and should 

 have the power to make regulations having the force of law unless 

 disallowed by a resolution of both Houses of Parliament. By this Act 

 the Council was authorised to grant aid to such Denominational Schools 

 as met certain conditions, and were willing to submit to inspection by 

 the Council's officers, and follow the course of secular instruction laid 

 down by the Act and regulations. The scheme was, however, so devised 

 as to give a preference to Public Schools as compared with those of 

 a sectarian character. 



Any ordinary reader must be struck with surprise at the great delay 

 which occurred before any thoroughly efficient system was adopted ; but 

 the truth is, that the reform of our educational system was really a pro- 

 longed struggle, a large section of the community clinging pertinaciously 

 to the idea that all schools should be ecclesiastically controlled. 



The Council of Education did excellent work during the fourteen 

 years of its existence, and laid the country under great obligations; 

 but there vras a conviction gaining streugth among thoughtful citizens 

 that as the State had by manhood suffrage handed over complete 

 political control to the great body of the people, for her own safety 

 she must .see to it that all should be fitted to give an intelligent vote ; 

 and that to save constituencies from mere schemers, charlatans, vision- 

 aries, and demagogues, she must place within the reach of all voters 

 that which would, as far as possible, enable them to read and think for 

 themselves. So, in 1880, further legislation, again under the direction 

 of Sir H. Parkes, was effected, which abolished the Council, with- 



