In the midst of great social controversies the disputants may often enlarge and 1 liberalise their own views of the questions under discussion by seeking illustrations and examples beyond the mere local limits of the controversy. Tho existing contro versy on the education question is a cose in point. :! Some, and indeed almost all the neighbouring colonies, whoso circumstances and requirements in the matter of education may be presumed to ' bear more or less re semblance to those of New Zealand, have long since passed through the struggle which is now proceeding in this colony be tween the two great rival parties advocating opposite systems. It will, therefore, be instructive and advantageous to our readers to place before them trom time to time sotrc ot the main features of the educational systems in operation in the neighbouring colonies. With this object we have been at some pains to prqeure from the Education Departments of Victoria, JNew South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, copies of the various Education Acts iv force, annual reports, and memoranda relating to tho ques tion in hand, and with one notable ex ception the replies have been most cour teous and prompt. To G. Wilson Brown, Esq., Secretary of the Education Depart ment of Victoria; W. Wilkins, Esq., of the Council of Education of New South Wales ; the Inspector-General of Education for South Australia; and the Colonial Secre tary of Tasmania—we have to express our acknowledgments for their prompt and courteous replies to our applications. The exception was in the case of Queensland, where some young Tite Baraacle, dressed in a little. brief, authority, took upon him-, self, in the absence of his. superior,. the Colonial Secretary, to scribble oft' an almost undecipherable and discourteous reply, We propose, iv the first instance, to take

Act Amendment Act, 1876", in Operation in Victoria. Tho Education Department is presided over by a Minister of Public In struction, ' with a Secretary, Inspector- General, inspectors, and teachers, who are appointed and removed by the Governor-in- Council. All educational property vests in the Minister. Power is given to Jeaso or purchase existing school building receiving aid from the State. 