Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/610

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THE BHITISH empire: — NEW SOtJTH WALES

Denomination

Clergy

Adherents

Denomination

Clergy

Adherents

Church of England. Roman Catliolic Presbyterian Wesleyan Other Methodist Congregational. Baptist.

333

295

156

133

34

65

32

502,980 286,911 109,390 87,516 22,596 24,112 I3,ll2

Lutherans. Unitarians Hebrew. Others

Total.

5

1

3

33

7,950

1,329

5,484

62,574

1,090

1,123,9541

1 Aborigines not included.

Instruction.

Education is Under State control, and instmction is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 14 years ; the children of the poor are educated free.

There were in 1897, 2,577 State schools, divided into 2,790 departments, and classified as follow^s : — High schools 5 ; superior public schools 248 ; primary public schools 1,720; provisional schools 294; half-time schools 457 ; house-to-house schools 41 ; evening schools 25 ; total 2,790.

During 1896 there were 226,157 children enrolled, and an average at- tendance of 148,381, with 4,626 teachers.

In 1897 the expenditure on State schools was : — State expenditure 618,711Z. ; school fees 73,684?.; total expenditure 692,395?. Besides the State schools, the Sydney Grammar School (532 pupils), four Industrial and Reformatory Schools (534 pupils), and one school for the deaf and dumb, and the blind (114 pupils), receive sulisidies from Government.

Of private schools there were 948, with 56,143 pupils and 3,162 teachers, of which 296 schools, 1,481 teachers, and 36,675 pupils were Roman Catholic.

The University of Sydney, opened in 1852, receives from Government a yearly subsidy, amounting, with special aid, to 11,000?. in 1897. The total revenue for 1897 was 32,024?. There were 455 students and 48 professors, lecturers, &c. There are 3 theological colleges and a college for women, im- sectarian. The technical college, with branch schools, comprising classes in agriculture, physics, applied mechanics, &c., had a total enrolment of 7,658 in 1897.

The free public library at Sydney had 119,782 volumes in 1897. Most of the country towns have art schools and libraries. The Australian Museum, founded in 1836, is endowed by the State. There is a National Art Gallery at Sydney.

Justice and Crime.

There are Courts of Magistrates, of Quarter Sessions, and the Supreme Court, with a chief justice and six puisne judges. All prisoners charged with olfences bearing sentences of more than six months' imprisonment are tried by a jury of twelve persons, either at Quarter Sessions, or before the Supreme Court. Prisoners charged with capital crimes must be tried before the Supreme Court.

Circuit courts are held at the principal towns in the colony twice a year. In the metropolitan district police courts are presided over by stipendiary magistrates ; in the country districts, police magistrates and justices of the peace adjudicate. The licensing of houses for the sale of spirituous and fermented liquors is transacted by magistrates specially appointed for that purpose.