Nova Scotia.-The teachers of public schools in Nova Scotia are divided into four classes, according to the grade of license held. The average salaries and the percentage of teachers in each class are shown in the following table:

The superintendent of education states that male teachers are now only about one-fifth of the whole number, the female teachers numbering 2,053 to 441 male teachers. The teachers of Class A form no more than 5 per cent of the teachers of the province. However, 71 of these are male and only 24 female. All these are engaged as a rule in high school work, either in the academies or other high schools, and a few in the superior common schools. [Report of the Superintendent of Education, 1903, tables, pp. xv and xvi, also p. xxii.] New Brunswick.-The following tabulation shows the average annual salaries of teachers for the year 1903:

In the superior schools (common schools with advanced classes) the average salary was $570.96 and in the grammar schools (county high schools) salaries ranged from $600 to $2,400. [Report of the Chief Superintendent of Education, 1903, Table VIII, p. A 23, and Table XIII, p. A 35.]

British Columbia.-The report of the superintendent of education for 1902-3 contains a complete list of teachers and salaries, from which it appears that the range of salaries in the schools below the high school grade is from $10 to $105 a month. Only one salary is given at the latter figure, and only a small proportion of salaries fall as low as $10. The usual salary is $50, $55, or $60 a month.

In the high schools the salaries for principals range from $100 to $140 a month, and for assistants from $50 to $90. [Report 1902–3, pp. xlvi-lx.]

Prince Edward Island.-The classification and average salaries for teachers in Prince Edward Island for 1903 were as follows:

[Estimated from Table XVIII, Report of the Chief Superintendent of Education, 1903.]

Buildings destroyed by fire December 2, 1903.

4 Quebec Seminary, an ecclesiastical organization, defrays all expenses.

The Quebec branch has 425 students; the remainder are connected with the Montreal branch.

f Acres of land.

No statement received from, the authorities.

The classical colleges in Quebec are a combination of school and college, attended by both boys and young men. They confer certain degrees, and are mostly affiliated with Laval University. It not being possible to separate them, the pupils in these colleges are counted twice over, viz, in this table and in the one in the preceding table.

Includes value of furniture.

There are good ladies' colleges in the Province of Quebec, but the returns of the superintendent of education for the Province of Quebec are so incomplete that no satisfactory analysis can be made.

Government grant.

Denominational and private institutions not having degree-conferring powers,

The following table, giving statistics of illiteracy in Canada in 1891 and 1901, shows the effects of the ever-increasing provision for public education.a

The smallest number in a group of 100 is in Ontario, 18.12 illiterates. Of these 10.27 consist of persons under five years old.

In 1891 21.48 in every 100 were illiterates; of these 11.34 were under five years of age, leaving a net of 7.85 persons five years and over in 1901 and 10.14 in 1891.

The Province of Quebec shows a great decrease in the number of illiterates. In 1891 the province had 40.98 persons in every group of 100 who could not read; in 1901 there were 29.57 persons in each 100 group. In 1891 those under five years formed 14.71 and in 1901 14.41 of the number of illiterates. This leaves a net of 26.27 in 1891 and of 15.16 in 1901 of illiterates over five years of age in each group of 100.

From Statistical Year Book of Canada, 1903.

Taking into account the somewhat decreased proportion of children under five in 1901 as compared with 1891, the statement stands: In 1891 Canada had of all illiterates 29.99 in every group of 100. Of these 12.48 were under five years of age, leaving a net of 17.51 illiterates over five years. In 1901 Canada had 24.62 illiterates in every group of 100 of the population. Of these 11.96 were under five years, leaving 12.66 illiterates; so that there has been an actual decrease in the ten years of 4.85 illiterates over five years in every group of 100.

AUSTRALIA.

[For previous articles in the Reports of the Commissioner of Education see: Secondary Education in New Zealand, by Sir Robert Stout, K. C. M. G., Report for 1890-91, Vol. 1, pp. 45-94.-Education in New Zealand, Report for 1892-93, Vol. 1, pp. 258-261.-Systems of Public Education in Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania, Report for 1897-98, Vol. 1, pp. 189-214.-Education in Australasia, Report for 1898-99, Vol. 1, pp. 68-87.]

TOPICAL OUTLINE.

Brief account of the Australian federation. Current statistics of public schools and of private schools and universities. Brief outline of the systems of public education. Salient particulars from current reports. New South Wales: Report of the special educational commission appointed to investigate foreign systems and advise reforms for New South Wales. Queensland: Work of the itinerant teacher; the "grammar schools;" technical education; educational expenditure. South Australia: Scholarship funds; agricultural education. Victoria: Manual training; technical education; total educational expenditure. West Australia: Special difficulties of sparse population; teachers' training and salaries; promotions; manual training; total educational expenditure.

The Commonwealth of Australia, consisting of the six colonies (now denominated Original States) of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania, was proclaimed at Sydney, January 1, 1901.

Legislative power is vested in a Federal Parliament, consisting of the King, a Senate, and a House of Representatives, the King being represented by a Governor-General. The Senate consists of Senators (six for each of the original States) chosen for six years by the electors, voting in each State, except Queensland, as one electorate. In general, the Senate will be renewed to the extent of one-half every three years, but, in case of prolonged disagreement with the House of Representatives, it may be dissolved and an entirely new Senate elected. The House of Representatives consists, as nearly as may be, of twice as many members as there are Senators, the numbers chosen in the several States being in proportion to the respective numbers of their people, as shown by the latest statistics of the Commonwealth, but not less than five shall be chosen in any original State. For the first House of Representatives the number is 75, distributed as follows: New South Wales, 26; Victoria, 23; Queensland, 9; South Australia, 7; Western Australia, 5; Tasmania. 5. Every House of Representatives will continue for three years from the date of its first meeting, unless sooner dissolved. Electoral qualifications are those of the several States; the qualifications of persons eligible for either House are prescribed by the Constitution. Every Senator or Member of the House of Representatives must be a natural-born subject of the King, or have been for five years a naturalized subject under a law of the United Kingdom or of a State of the Commonwealth. He must be of full age, must possess electoral qualification in his State, and must have resided three years within the Commonwealth.

The legislative powers of the Federal Parliament are extensive, and embrace, among other matters, commerce, railways, shipping, light-houses, etc.; finance; defense; postal, telegraph, and like services; census and statistics; marriage and divorce; emigration and immigration; currency, banking, weights and measures; conciliation and arbitration in industrial disputes. The several