it a few general
reflections, and so close our article.

It was feared by some and hoped by others fifteen years ago, when the
law of compulsory education and School Boards was enacted in this
country, that Voluntary Schools would undergo what was described at the
time as a 'process of painless extinction,' and that Board Schools would
reign supreme. These fears and hopes have been curiously falsified; the
Voluntary Schools have not been extinguished either painlessly or
otherwise; on the other hand, they have increased, both in work done and
in support given, to an extent which could never have been anticipated.
It will be observed that the question is not purely and simply between
Board and Voluntary Schools; it may be so in some parishes, where with
unanimity on the part of the parishioners, one Parish School can be made
to supply the wants of all; but generally the question is that of
supporting Voluntary Schools and paying towards Board Schools as well;
the support of one does not exclude the legal claim of the other, as it
has been frequently argued that it ought in equity to do; consequently
Voluntary Schools are heavily handicapped, and nothing but a deep sense
of the advantage of freedom in religious teaching, and an utter dread of
secularism, can account for the remarkable results exhibited by the
progress of Voluntary Schools under such manifest difficulties.

The following Tables are so exceedingly instructive, that we make no
apology for introducing them:--

_Accommodation._

Day Schools, Year ended August 31 1882. 1883. 1884.

Church 2,385,374 2,413,676 2,454,788
British, &c. 384,060 386,839 394,009
Wesleyan 200,909 200,564 203,253
Roman Catholic 269,231 272,760 284,514
Board 1,298,746 1,396,604 1,490,174

4,538,320 4,670,443 4,826,738

_Number on the Registers._

Day Schools, Year ended August 31. 1882. 1883. 1884.

Church 2,133,978 2,134,719 2,121,728
British, &c. 339,812 337,531 333,510
Wesleyan 177,840 175,826 172,284
Roman Catholic 232,620 226,567 226,082
Board 1,305,362 1,398,661