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1042. Did you make any suggestions as to what should be done?—l did. 1043. What suggestions did you make ?—I wrote a long letter—l took a great deal of trouble with it—addressed to the Trustees, in which I suggested various improvements. 1044. The Chairman.'] When was that ? how long after your return from Melbourne ?—About the end of the month—about the 28th. 1045. In the same month that you returned ?—I think so. 1046. I understand you to say that you immediately wrote to the Trustees making suggestions ? —Yes. As soon as I got my ideas collected I set about to make suggestions to the Trustees for improvements. I think it was on the 27th February that I sent in my address to the Trustees on hospital reforms. lam prepared to substantiate every detail in my address. 1047. Did you express yourself in these terms : " As to the Hospital building, he had a strong opinion that by the expenditure of £8,000 they could get a perfectly good hospital—a sample hospital for the colony " ? —I did, certainly. 1048. And, again, you say, " And the expenditure of twice that amount might not insure a better hospital than they had at present " ?—I said that also; it is perfectly true. 1049. You say that with an expenditure of £8,000 the old Hospital could be patched up'?— Yes, that we might patch it up. 1050. Mr. Chapman.] So as to make it a model hospital ?—'That was my idea at the time. Before I leave this question I should like to say a little more about it. These ideas were purely my own. I had no knowledge what the views of my colleagues on the subject were. Subsequently, when we drew out the report on the hygienic condition of the Hospital, I was so struck with the differences of opinion among my colleagues that I honestly doubted whether the thing could be patched up, and that doubt has been steadily growing on me. 1051. You have mentioned that a report was drawn up. By whom ?—By Dr. Lindo Ferguson. 1052. Did he draft it?— Yes. But it was carefully discussed by the medical staff. 1053. But you approved of it yourself ?—I had to be content with what I could get from the staff. 1054. You signified your approval of it all by signing it, did you not ?—I did so, because I could not get them to give anything more. I wanted something stronger, but I could not get them to come up to my ideas on the subject. We had some members of the staff who were very ticklish men to deal with. We thought among ourselves that there was more likelihood of getting reforms if we came to a unanimous opinion. 1055. Now, coming to this £8,000, you had, I suppose, worked out the figures ?—I had done so roughly. 1056. What is your proposed allocation of this £8,000 ?—lt was only done in the rough, just to give an idea what it would cost. 1057. But you must have had some basis for your figures?—l had an idea of adding towers to each large ward, and of making provision in them for bath-rooms, lavatories, waterclosets, to be connected with the wards by cross-ventilation. I thought that the Hospital might in this way be made fairly sanitary, and then that it might do for some time. I had not then gone into the matter as deeply as I have done since. I now see that that would be a mistake : that it could not be worked economically, but that is a view which did not strike me at the time. 1058. What was the other purpose that these towers were to serve ?—To give separate bathrooms and closets. 1059. But not to have large partitions for the wards ?—Oh dear no; just simply to build them out from the corners. Another advantage would be that they would give extra bed-space, and give a little extra room. 1060. Have you had any architect's estimate or anything of that kind ?—No. I thought it better to give them something to start on. 1061. You have more than once expressed the opinion that by an expenditure of £8,000, the Dunedin Hospital might be made a perfectly good hospital?— That was my view then. 1062. And that view you formed after being connected with the institution for a dozen years or more ? —Yes. 1063. Was there any member of the medical staff who went further than you, but in the same direction?— Yes. This is how the thing is minuted: " A discussion ensued, and then there was a suggestion brought up that any improvements should be made on the pavilion system." 1064. By whom was that suggestion made?—By Dr. Lindo Ferguson. There was a resolution to the effect I have just stated. I remember it distinctly. I wished to go into the matter more fully later on. 1065. This is what Dr. Ferguson's motion says, "That the medical staff strongly feel that any expenditure for new wards should be in the direction of having separate pavilions which may form part of a new hospital on more modern principles."—Will you please read a little further on? 1066. " Dr. Batchelor desired it to be recorded on the minutes that he did not vote, as he considered both the motion and amendment premature."—l am glad that you have called attention to that, because it shows that I had not made up my mind then. It was a big question, and I thought it should be thoroughly thrashed out. I did not want to agree to that right off. 1067. Why did you think it was premature?— Because the original address was given simply to kick up a row. I wanted to draw attention to the defects in our Hospital, and wished the people to know exactly what they were. I did not give particular attention to how these things were to be improved so much, as I wanted the whole thing to be thought out before determining on any course of action. .. 1068. Did you express yourself to that effect ? —I think that that motion pretty well expresses that view. 1069. I want you to show the Commissioners where in that debate you expressed yourself to : the effect that you now express yourself ?—You will find during the debate in connection with the