Education, Literature, and Art 221 



tances in order to attend. Most of these children 

 have duties to perform at home as well, both be- 

 fore setting out for school and on their return 

 home again. Their education is not accomplished, 

 therefore, without a very considerable strain being 

 thrown upon both pupils and teachers, and for 

 that reason, perhaps, it is the more highly valued. 

 It is at least certain that residents in remote and 

 sparsely-settled districts make every effort to ob- 

 tain schools in their neighbourhood, and insist 

 upon the regular attendance of their children, 

 wherever possible. 



The difficulty with regard to religious instruc- 

 tion is constantly occurring in connection with 

 the free schools of Australia. It is a question 

 complicated by the absence of a State Church in 

 Australia, and by the fact that the balance be- 

 tween Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, and other 

 Protestant sects is very even. In some States, 

 the instruction is entirely secular, and the duty 

 of providing religious instruction for the children 

 is cast upon their parents. It may be said, how- 

 ever, that with the view of assisting in every way 

 towards the religious instruction of the children, 

 the State places the school buildings at the service 

 of such religious instructors as may choose to use 

 them, after school hours, for the purpose of re- 

 ligious instruction. The scholars who wish to 

 attend may do so, but those who prefer to absent 

 themselves are under no compulsion of any kind. 

 In other States, religious instruction is included 



