H.—l9.

13

Miss Bulpit, and Dr. Hosking, have made this institution a credit to the town. The furniture is admirable in every respect, the wards are a model of comfort and cleanliness, and nothing is wanting but patients. I have called the Chairman's attention to the fact that the well receives the surface-drainage from the yard, which might be dangerous. I have no doubt that by the time of my next visit this will be remedied. 16th September, 1886.

GEEYTOWN. Like the hospital at Masterton, I found this empty, but not nearly so well found by the Committee, nor so well kept by Mr. Wright and his wife. The site is, no doubt, ill adapted for gardening purposes, though exceedingly healthy for a hospital ; still, that is no excuse for the slovenly way in which the ground is kept. A few loads of gravel, which is surely plentiful enough in this neighbourhood, and a little paint bestowed on the building would greatly improve the appearance of things. As regards the internal arrangements, they are very plain, but sufficient. The wards are airy and well ventilated; the beds are clean and comfortable. There is a suitable kitchen with a good range, which is well kept. Behind the kitchen are the store and scullery; the store is at present empty, and the scullery is very small and has no sink. In the rear of the hospital two old immigrants' cottages have been fixed up, the one on the right to serve as a sort of general annexe, containing a washhouse with a boiler built in, a good mangle, and galvanized-iron washing-tubs. This also contains a place which serves as a bath-room. For contagious cases there is a good portable bath. Another similar dilapidated cottage to the left serves as a fever ward :it is plain-deal-lined, cheerless, and draughty. It has recently been roofed with iron, as the old shingle-roof was very leaky. Two privies and a fowlhouse complete the outbuildings. Only one small .room is provided for the steward and matron. There is a room which serves as a dispensary, with a good medicine-press well stocked with drugs, got from the local druggist. Books—a diary and register; the latter very well kept. English and Catholic clergymen visit regularly. A visitor is appointed monthly. 18th September, 1886.

MOUNT IDA. This hospital stands in a reserve of four acres, at the foot of a high terrace, not far from the centre of the town. The ground is surrounded with, a broom hedge, is well laid out, and planted with poplars, pines, and willows. It is approached through a handsome gate by a well-kept gravel-drive, with a well-stocked vegetable-garden next the gate on the left, sheltered by well-grown trees ; and nearer the hospital on the same side is a beautiful flower-bed. The building is of the ordinary cottage plan, with a verandah in front, from the left end of which a door opens direct into the male ward, which occupies the north end of the house. The front door opens from the middle of the verandah into the hall, 15ft. by 4ft. To the left of the entrance opens an exceedingly neat well-kept dispensary, with a counter, on which everything is in apple-pie order. Under the window is a commodious kauri sideboard, with large drawers for surgical appliances. It contains also a wash-hand-basin, seltzogene, and filter. The female ward is on the left of the entrance, opposite the dispensary, is 12ft. by 18ft., with two windows, Venetian blinds. It has a very neat light-blue dado, with walls covered with paper of a neat pattern. The furniture is very comfortable, consisting of a small square of carpet, a neat deal table with suitable cover, a wash-hand-basin, a commode, and some chairs. There are a few pictures on the wall, flowers on the table, and the grate and mantelpiece are very neat. It contains three beds, with good spring mattrasses and very good and clean bedding. It is well ventilated by means of a grating in the ceiling, adjustable by a cord. In the right-hand corner are two brackets, for basin, looking-glass, and medicine-bottles. The male ward, with one door from the verandah, one from the dispensary, and one from the corridor (back passage), has a white dado with walls light blue, two windows with Venetian blinds, heated by a fireplace with a grate, but a stove is used for winter. It is very comfortably furnished, with six beds, one a Monckton lever bed ; of the others four are wood and one iron. Two of the beds have wire mattrasses, two hair mattrasses, and one mattrass is flock. There are no lockers and no head-cards. There are five wicker chairs, and one folding easy-chair. As in the female ward, ventilation is provided by means of a square grating adjusted by a cord. A support over each bed hangs from the roof. There is a neat, well-stocked book-case. At right angles to the entrance-hall is a Lack corridor, 30ft. by 4ft., covered with matting, one end of which is converted into a neat conservatory. To the rear of this corridor are situated the kitchen, steward's room, and another small spare ward containing two beds and a chest of drawers, in which a fair stock of instruments is very carefully kept. A suitable instrumentpress ought to be provided. Next comes a bath-room and lavatory combined, containing a zinc-lined bath supplied with, hot water from the boiler of the washhouse. Besides this boiler the washhouse contains fixed wooden tubs, with a wringer. A mangle fits on the table, and there is an ordinary cottage-boiler. About twenty yards from the south end of the hospital stands a fever hospital, built of concrete. It contains two neat wards, with a lean-to, in which is situated the kitchen, suitably fitted. At the rear stands an iron shed used as a mortuary. At the date of my visit the hospital contained five patients—three males and two females—all of whom spoke (as well they might) of the care and attention with which they are treated. This hospital is well found and well looked after in every respect by the Committee. Indeed, in all my travels I have never seen more pride and interest manifested in a local institution, and the way in which it is supported reflects the greatest credit on the district. A most striking fact is that here there are no pauper patients. In January, 1886, £112 was locally raised to keep the hospital a separate institution. The drug-bill for the nine months amounts to £6 6s. 4d., and the medical comforts £12 lls. The attention of Dr. Whitton to his duties is beyond all praise. 14th January, 1887,