324 



The Review of Reviews. 



Ocmber 1. 1901. 



exhibitions of amateur boxing, but the feeling of the 

 community is no doubt strongly against the brutal 

 exhibitions of prize-fighting that have been lately 

 witnessed in Victoria. The legislation will come 

 none too soon, as Mr. Wren, the high priest of pro- 

 fessional boxing, has arranged, on a huge scale, a 

 series of these disgraceful contests. 



The great Melbourne Exhibition 

 State Schools has been crowded with enthusias- 



Exhibition. tic visitors every day for nearly a 

 fortnight, to see one of the 

 most unique and wonderful exhibitions ever held 

 there. The vast floor space and galleries are 

 crowded with specimens of the work of the State 

 schools — primary and technical. The array is 

 wonderful. The first impulse on entering is to 

 stand and gasp in an amazed fashion at the great- 

 ness of it. The exhibits are practically numberless, 

 and thev come from the big city schools and the 

 little 'way-backs that to the casual traveller are al- 

 most too small to take notice of. They range from 

 the tiny modelled teapot and saucepan of the 

 youngster of five or six to the finished artistic efforts 

 of the most advanced. Botanical, geological, zoo- 

 logical specimens are displayed, with copybooks and 

 maps, specimens of Sloyd work, needlework, kinder- 

 garten, etc., till the assortment is bewildering. The 

 authorities gave the schools a fortnight's holiday 

 and cheap railway fares, to enable everybody to 

 attend. What a revelation and an education it is 

 to adults who visit it can be gathered from their de- 

 lighted exclamations as they wander round. No 

 one but the initiated dreamed of what our schools 

 were doing in the development of the child's 

 powers. And there is not a prize given. The ex- 

 hibits were sent merely for exhibition. The idea 

 might be followed with benefit by all the States. It 

 would stimulate the keenest interest on the part of 

 parents in our educational systems, and it is worth 

 a lot of expense and trouble to get that. There 

 were some exhibits from other States, and in future 

 exhibitions (for it is to be hoped that they will be 

 held annually) this might be increased to create a 

 friendly and healthy rivalry. Mr. Frank Tate, the 

 Victorian Director of Education, hit the spirit that 

 pervaded the teachers and children happily when 

 he said in an address at the opening : — 



" This is a unique exhibition. A quarter of a 

 million human beings have been at work at it for 

 months. There is no reward ; there is no prize, 

 for not a single certificate will be made out. I 



Phnto.'\ lAliCf Millt 



Mr. Frank Tate. Director of Education. 



doubt whether you could find anywhere a better 

 realisation of the conditions under which, according 

 to Kipling, the best work is always done : — 



■ And only the Master shall praise ns, and oiili 



the Master shall blame. 

 And no one shall work for money, and no one 

 shall work for fame. 

 But each for the joy of the working ' 



The South 

 Australian Local 



It came somewhat as a shock to 

 know that the decision of the 



'oVti°on''po'lU.'" S°"t*^ Australian Supreme Court 

 has made five out of the six Local 

 Option polls held in that State void. Immediately 

 after the splendid victory of the Temperance 

 party, the Liquor party appealed, and the appeal 

 has been upheld on the grounds that in five of the 

 districts the number of licenses was misst.ited. 

 This is the fault of the officers of the Department, 

 and it seems unfair that the districts should be 

 penalised. But it is not all to the bad. It will 

 lead to a filling-up of the loopholes in the law. and 

 in Port Adelaide the poll holds good. Xeverthe 

 less it is a pity that the electors should be robbed 

 of their victory. The probable result will be that 

 another poll will be held, when it is to be hoped 

 that the law will be effective enough to secun- U 

 the electors the benefits of their vote. 



