ity, and consideration of
the land revenue and the limitations as to its expenditure led me to
the necessity for taxation and the various modes of levying it.
Taxation led me to the power which imposes, collects, and expends it.
This involved a consideration of those representative institutions
which make the Government at once the master and the servant of the
people. Under this Government our persons and our prosperity are
protected by a system of criminal, civil, and insolvent law--each
considered in its place. Although not absolutely included in the laws
we live under, I considered that providence, and its various outlets in
banks, savings banks, joint stock companies, friendly societies, and
trades unions, were matters too important to be left unnoticed; and
also those influences which shape character quite as much as statute
laws--public opinion, the newspaper, and amusements. As the use of my
little book was restricted solely to school hours, my hope that the
parents might be helped and encouraged by its teaching was doomed to
disappointment. But the children of 30 years ago, when "The Laws We
Live Under" was first published, are the men and women of to-day, and
who shall say but that among them are to be found some at least worthy
and true citizens, who owe to my little book their first inspiration to
"hitch their wagon to a star." Last year an enthusiastic young Swedish
teacher and journalist was so taken with this South Australian little
handbook of civics that he urged on me the duty of bringing it up to
date, and embracing women's suffrage, the relations of the States to
the Commonwealth, as well as the industrial legislation which is in
many ways peculiar to Australia, but although those in authority were
sympathetic no steps have been taken for its reproduction. Identified
as I had been for so many years with elementary education in South
Australia, my mind was well prepared to applaud the movement in favour
of the higher education of poorer children of both sexes by the
foundation of bursaries and scholarships, and the opening up of the
avenues of learning to women by admitting them to University degrees.
Victoria was the first to take this step, and all over the Commonwealth
the example has been followed. I am, however, somewhat disappointed
that University women are not more generally progressive in their
ideas. They have won something which I should have been very glad of,
but which was quite out of rea