So far as the resources at its disposal have permitted, the Department of Public Instruction has done what it could to bring primary education within the reach of all the children of the State, and it may be safely claimed that wherever twelve children can be gathered together there exists a school. But where the children cannot be gathered into groups the department goes to the homes of the pupils. Itinerant teachers, fully equipped with buggies, camping outfits, school requisites, and other necessaries, traverse the sparsely settled districts in the far West and North where the establishment of schools is not possible. The travelling teachers look for the homes of the pupils, be those homes rude wayside inns, log cabins, or even tents, and an effort is made to visit each home not less than four times a year. Under this system the little ones are at least taught to read, to write, and to count. The itinerant teacher system was initiated in 1901, when one teacher was appointed. There are now twelve of these teachers, and the expenditure in this direction has risen from L411 per annum to L5,129 per annum. In 1906 the department began to appoint trained teachers to the charge of all schools where the attendance exceeded twelve. By this process properly qualified teachers will soon be in charge of 90 per cent. of the schools of the State. One of the most difficult problems which has to be faced in England, Scotland, America, and also in some of our sister States, is the adequate staffing of small country schools by efficient teachers. Queensland has solved that problem, and it is doubtful if any country has done better in that respect. Primary school teachers are officers of the State, and are not subject to the caprices of boards or local committees; they enjoy the protection and privileges of the Public Service Act, and the interests of no branch of the public service are more zealously protected by Parliament. They stand high in public estimation in Queensland, and that estimation is steadily rising. The pay on the whole is good--particularly that of head teachers, and the conditions of service are by no means unattractive. In 1908 the total expenditure on education (including school buildings) was L393,378 1s. 8d.; the total number of departmental schools open during that year was 1,141, the net enrolment of pupils being 94,193, and the average daily attendance 67,309. [Illustration: VIEW OF GYMPIE FROM NASHVILLE RAILWAY STATION] [Illustration: COKE OVENS, IPSWICH DISTRICT] PRIVATE SCHOOLS.