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1172. Are they capable of being relieved or improved without operation?— They may be improved very much without operation. 1173. Now, have you operated in many cases like hers in the Hospital?— Yes, a great number. 1174. Were they cases of the same character?— Yes, a good number. 1175. And those would be cases which resembled hers in this respect: that they were essentially operations of expediency ?—Yes, they were so. 1176. And there was no immediate hurry? —No ; there was no immediate hurry. 1177. Then, it is only since her death you have come to the conclusion not to perform these operations?— This has confirmed the opinion I all along held, and it makes that opinion stronger. I have been chary about operations of expediency for some time past, and this one will absolutely stop me performing one in the Hospital while it is in its present condition. 1178. About how many such operations have you performed within the last three years ?—I should have to look at my books to answer that. 1179. Have you any idea ?—Well, I suppose there were about eight or ten. 1180. Of this class?— Yes; it is hard to recollect, but I think that is about the number. You might look at the books, and you would find the correct number. 1181. Let us take the last four years. Am I right in my recollection that you said, in answer to Mr. Solomon, that since 1883 there had been, so far as you knew, no substantial amendment in the condition of the Hospital ? —Since 1883 ? 1182. Yes.—Well, I will go further than that, and say I do not think there has been any sufficient change made in the Dunedin Hospital since I first joined it. There have been improvements, certainly. 1183. There have been improvements ?—Yes, but not sufficient; certainly not. 1184. Am I right in my recollection, then, that, substantially, there has been uo improvement in the Dunedin HospitaJ since your experience of it in 1883 ?—I cannot tell you what has been done underground. Mr. Burns has been devoting his attention to the foundations, I believe, and I think that is quite right. I can only tell you what has been happening aboveground. 1185. Have you made inquiries about drainage, or ventilation, or the ventilation of drainage? —No, I have not. As I said at first, I know very little about drainage. 1186. Have you, then, treated that as a secondary matter ?—No; I have had enough to do to treat patients without treating drains. 1187. But you have gone into many other matters here, other than the treating of patients?— Yes. 1188. Then when you say that the condition of affairs in the Hospital has not improved since 1883 you do not take into consideration such matters as alterations in drainage?—No; I have not considered that. 1189. Now, your own view and that of the staff, I understand, as to the relative urgency of the demands for improvement . But, by the way, it was in the very outset of your evidence, if I am not mistaken, that you urged the importance of some improvements in a certain order, starting with the new operating-room as being the most urgent ?—I do not think I did. The Chairman : He was never asked about the operating-room. Mr. Chapman : No; he has not touched that. I believe the staff is agreed that that room shall not be assailed. Mr. Solomon : Quite so. 1190. Mr. Chapman.} That is an undoubted improvement that Dr. Batchelor approves?— Yes. 1191. In my notes of Dr. Batchelor's evidence 1 have taken this note : " Met and most urged the operating-room." That was in 1883 ?—I do not think I urged in that direction, but the staff might have. 1192. But you took part in it ?—I will tell you what I did. I thought the most urgent thing, and the most necessary, was the nurses' home. 1193. That is the next important, as I have them in my notes, and next comes the special wards. So these three matters, as the most urgent, were the questions discussed at the meeting of the staff?— Yes. 1194. Did you at that meeting of the staff assail the Hospital in general terms on the subjects of ventilation, of wards, of improper floors, of improper walls, waterclosets, and all these subjects? ■ —No, I did not. Mr. Solomon : When was that ? Mr. Chapman : It was in May, 1887. 1195. Mr. Chapman.} It was immediately after you came back from the "promised land" that you made the complaint?— This is the " promised land," as far as I understood it. It has been all promises here, so far. 1196. Now, I want to call your attention to this : that in those recommendations there is nothing implying discontent with the sanitary conditions of the Hospital ?—No; you are quite correct. We thought we had taken quite enough in hand with these three subjects. 1197. Who are the " we " ?—The medical staff. 1198. Was the subject of the insanitary condition of the Hospital discussed at all ?—lt has been discussed in a formal manner. For years past it has been recognised among the medical staff. 1199. Can you give me any of the expressions in which it was recognised?—No ; I cannot. 1200. Can you give me one reference in which the Hospital was spoken of as a "hot-bed of septic poisoning," as your counsel has termed it ?—Well, every now and again a man would complain of a case going wrong. 1201. Tell me who the man was ? —Dr. Cougbtrey. Whenever I spoke to him, as I did several times, about his leaving the Hospital, and asked him to rejoin the staff again, saying, " Coughtrey,