be a
little too "free and easy" in his manners. The climate makes him grow up
more quickly than in Great Britain. He is more precocious both mentally
and physically. At a very early age, he (or she) is entrusted with some
share of responsibility. That is quite natural in a new country where
pioneering work is being done. You will see children of ten and twelve
and fourteen years of age taking quite a part in life, entrusted with
some little tasks, and carrying them through in grown-up fashion. The
effect of all this is that in their relations with their parents
Australian children are not so obedient and respectful as they might be.
This does not work for any great harm while the child is young. Up to
fifteen or sixteen the son or daughter is perhaps more helpful and more
companionable because of the somewhat relaxed discipline. Certainly the
child has learned more how to use its own judgment. After that age,
however, the fact of a loose parental discipline may come to be an
evil. But there is, after all, no need to croak about the Australian
child, who grows up to be a good average sort of woman or man as a
general rule.

It is very difficult indeed for a child in Australia to avoid school.
Education is compulsory, the Government providing an elaborate system to
see that every child gets at least the rudiments of education; even in
the far back-blocks, where settlement is much scattered, it is necessary
and possible to go to school. The State will carry the children to
school on its railways free. If there is no railway it will send a 'bus
round to collect children in scattered localities. Failing that, in the
case of families which are quite isolated, and which are poor, the State
will try to persuade the parents to keep a governess or tutor, and will
help to pay the cost of this. The effect of all this effort is that in
Australia almost every child can read and write.

Going to school in the Bush parts of Australia is sometimes great fun.
Often the children will have the use of one of the horses, and on this
two, or three, or even four children will mount and ride off. When the
family number more than four, the case calls for a buggy of some sort;
and a child of ten or twelve will be quite safely entrusted with the
harnessing of the horse and driving it to school.

In the school itself, a great effort is made to have the lessons as
interesting as possible. Nature-study is taught, and the children learn
to observe