In 1902 a Board of Technical Education was created; the board held office until 1905, when this branch of education was placed under the control of the department, and a special officer was appointed to supervise the work. Endowment is now paid upon a differential scale, the distribution being based on the general and practical utility of the subjects taught, the subsidy ranging from 10s. to L3 for every L1 collected in fees. There were seventeen colleges in operation during 1908. The progress which has been made during the past five years is shown in the following table:-- ---------------------+---------------------+---------------- Year. | Number of | Endowment. |Individual Students. | ---------------------+---------------------+---------------- 1904 | 3,600 | L4,732 4 6 1905 | 3,892 | 5,460 4 11 1906 | 4,321 | 7,930 13 5 1907 | 4,702 | 9,610 4 2 1908 | 5,187 | 10,719 12 7 ---------------------+---------------------+---------------- The importance of a highly developed system of technical education has been fully realised in this State, and in 1908 a Technical Instruction Act was passed. It provides for the establishment of a central technical college in Brisbane which shall be maintained by, and be under the direct control of, the State. It is intended that this college shall be the recognised technical institute of Queensland, and it is hoped that it may ultimately be one of the most important institutions of the kind in Australia. The colleges outside the metropolis will be affiliated with the central college, but will remain under local control. In addition to liberal assistance to technical education, provision has been made for evening continuation classes. These classes are to enable pupils who have left school before completing their primary education to continue their education; to assist persons to obtain instruction in special subjects relating to their employment; and to prepare students for the technical colleges. The classes are liberally endowed by the State, and very comprehensive regulations have been framed for their administration, the system being probably the best of its kind in the Commonwealth. [Illustration: GULF CATTLE READY FOR MARKET] [Illustration: BRIGALOW COUNTRY, WARRA, DARLING DOWNS] [Illustration: HEREFORD COWS, DARLING DOWNS] Schools of arts and reading rooms are also fostered by the State. A grant of 10s. is made for each L1 of subscriptions or donations, but the grant to any one institution cannot exceed L150 per annum.