10s a month, or 2s 6d a week, and must not be less
than 4s a month, and 1s a week; when however
more than one child attends from the same family,
the fee may be reduced to ninepence, and in infant
schools the ordinary fee may be reduced to sixpence.
In addition to these conditions the Board require
further:—

(a.) That the head teacher shall have received a
certificate of qualification from the Board.

(b.) Upon the report of the inspector that these
requirements have been fulfilled, and that
any further regulations which may have been
made from time to time by the Board have
been complied with, aid will be granted according to the following scale, not exceeding
however the sum raised by fees and local
subscriptions.

At the end of each half year the undermentioned
allowances may be claimed by schools:—

I. 7s. 6d. for every scholar in average attendance
during the preceding six months, without regard to proficiency.

II. 5s. for every scholar in average attendance at
evening meetings of the school throughout the
year, also without any conditions as to proficiency.

III. 24s. for every scholar above seven years of
age who has attended more than a hundred
meetings of the school both morning and
afternoon, and who is able to pass an examination. 8s. of this grant will however be forfeited, if the scholar on whose behalf it is
claimed fails to satisfy the inspector in reading, a similar sum if he fails in writing, and a
similar sum if he fails in arithmetic.

IV. 15s. for every scholar under seven years of
age who has attended more than a hundred
morning and afternoon meetings of the school,
subject to the report of the inspector that
such scholar is instructed suitably to his age.

V. 20s. for every evening scholar of 12 years of age
or upwards who has attended sixty meetings
of an evening school connected with the boys'
school; but of this there will be forfeited for
failure to satisfy the inspector, in reading,
6s. 8d.; in writing, 6s. 8d.; in arithmetic,
6s. 8d.

Every scholar (except as above excepted) for
whom grants are claimed, must pass an examination
in one of the standards of proficiency to be hereafter prescribed, but cannot be presented a second time
for examination according to the same or a lower
standard.

The inspector is instructed not to proceed with the
examination unless he has previously ascertained
that the condition of the school does not of itself require that the grant should be withheld.

The above grants may be reduced by a sum not
less than one-tenth, nor more than one-half, upon
the report of the inspector that there are faults of
instruction or a want of discipline in the school, or

if after one month's notice the local committees fail
to remedy any defect in the premises seriously interfering with the efficiency of the school, or if they
fail to provide proper furniture, books, and apparatus.

The Act itself, as well as the whole of the rules
under which it is administered, appear to point exclusively to the regulation of secular instruction,
the only provision at all relating to religion being
that which prescribes that no two members of the
Board may be of the same religious denomination.

III.—SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Legislative Enactment.

There is one Act in South Australia relating to
education, which has been in force since 1852,
entitled “An Act to Promote Education in South
Australia, by aid towards the Erection of Schools
and the payment of Stipends to Teachers.” The
object of this Act, as expressed in the second clause,
is “to introduce and maintain good secular instruction, based on the Christian Religion, apart from
all theological and controversial difference on discipline and doctrine;” and in accordance with this
view, the use of denominational catechisms, as well
as any other proceeding calculated to influence or
disturb the peculiar tenets of any religious sect, are
forbidden.

It was intended that the system should, as far as
possible, be self-supporting, and with this view gratuitous instruction is absolutely forbidden; nevertheless, in order to meet the case of children whose
parents are destitute, it is provided that their school
fees shall be paid out of the public treasury.

There is a Board established by the Act apparently
not incorporated, consisting of not more than seven
in number, appointed by the Governor in Council,
and selected without reference to party politics indifferently from the different religious bodies, but no
minister of religion is qualified for a seat.

Local Management.

The local management of the schools is not vested
in any body specially created for the purpose, but in
District Councils, the functions and constitution of
which are not given in the documents relating to
education in the possession of the Commission.
These District Councils are not apparently chosen
with any reference to their qualification for watching
over the interests of schools. In districts where
such councils are not in existence their duties may
be performed by any two justices of the peace.

The functions of the District Councils, or of two
justices of the peace, as the case may be, are with
regard to schools:—

(a.) To visit and report to the Central Board upon
the several schools within their respective
districts.

(b.) To submit to the Central Board plans, estimates, and specifications for the erection and
furnishing of district schools.

(c.) To nominate teachers for licenses to teach.

(d.) To decide in case of doubt on the validity of
claims made on behalf of children for instruction at the public expense on account of
their destitution.