Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/639

 INSTRUCTIOK — FINANCE

291

23,383 ; Baptist, 10,256 ; other Christian sects, 28,841 : Jews, 809 ; Moham- medan and Pagans, 17,434 ; no religion, 5,329 ; other religion, unspecified, &c., 5,890.

Instruction.

Primary secular education is provided free by the State, and statutoty provision is made for compulsory education, but has not yet been given effect to. According to the marriage statistics for 1897, about 98 per cent, of the adult population, exclusive of coloured aliens, are able to read and write. The Public Expenditure on account of education for the year 1897 was 228,797Z. At the end of 1897 there were 797 public elementary schools in operation, with 1,825 teachers, and an average daily attendance of 59,748 pupils. Secondary education is provided for by 10 grammar schools^ with, in 1897, 67 teachers and an average attendance of /53 pupils. There were also 173 private schools, with 537 teachers, and an average daily attendance of 10,698 pupils. The Government grants annually a considerable number of scholar- ships, tenable for three years, to the various grammar schools of the Colony, and private schools under Government inspection. Technical instruction is given in institutions connected with schools of art, where training in special subjects can be obtained at small cost, and generally outside usual working hours.

Justice and Grime.

Justice is administered by a Supreme Court, district Courts, and Courts ot Petty Sessions. In these last Justices of the Peace sit, presided over in the more important centres by stipendiary magistrates. The Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and four Puisn(5 Judges. The total number of persons convicted of serious offences by the Superior Courts in 1897 was 188, and the summary con^ victions at petty sessions numbered 15,820. Including penal establishments, there were at the end of 1897, 18 prisons, with 471 male and 61 female prisoners. The total police force, including native troopers, averages about 900 men.

Pauperism.

Charitable institutions are maintained by public subscription, sUpple* mented by State endowment. At 56 hospitals during 1897, 18,236 patients received attention at a cost of 98,926^. Refuges and homes helped 623 persons at an outlay of 7,348Z., whilst persons suffering from temporary want were relieved by the State at an expenditure of 3,884?. Orphans and other homeless and unprotected children are provided for by the Government. They are for the most part dealt with on the boarding-out system.

Finance.

The following table shows the revenue and expenditure of Queensland during each of the last five years ending June 30 : —

—

1893-94

1894-95

1895-96

1896^97

189?-98

£ Revenue. . 3,343,069 Expenditure. 3,351,536

£ 3,413,172 3,308,434

£ 3,641,583 3,567,947

£ 3,613,150 3,604,264

£ 3,768,152 3,747,428

The following were the chief sources from which revenue was received during 1897-98 :— Customs, 1,207,849?. ; excise and export, 123,396?. ; stamp duty, 110,207?. ; licenses, 56,598?. ; dividend duty, 61,596?. From land- Rent, pastoral occupations, 346,249?. ; other rents and sale of land, 214,427?, From railways, 1,158,657?. From postij and telegraphs, 258,940?.

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