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Mr. Chapman : The house surgeon. Mr. Solomon : Then, why does he not put it in as his own ? Dr. Batchelor : They are not my cases. Mr. Chapman : I do not say that they are all gynecological cases, but some of them were. 2991. Mr. Chapman.] That list of operations seems to show that the surgeons have gone on operating pretty freely, and that they do not seem to have appreciated your objections ?—But I see in this list a number of cases—as hysteria—that are not operations at all; a large number of these are not operations at all. 2992. You were asked some questions about the position of the wards and operating-room in your Hospital, and you told us that after a secondary operation is performed the patient is moved back into a room adjoining the operating-room?— Certainly not in all cases, but in abdominal cases, where it was necessary to have a secondary operation, the patient is moved back in the bed in the way I have already described. 2993. Then, in Christchurch Hospital you have such patients always handy ?—Yes. 2994. And you have not to carry them any long distance ? —No. I am talking now of these special abdominal cases. 2995. How is it in the London hospitals? Are patients carried long distances there?— No. 2996. In no case?—l do not know about every London hospital. I only know two London hospitals, and in them the patients were carried very short distances indeed. 2997. Are the patients told beforehand? It is generally a matter of surprise, is it not? —Yes. But I think a hospital should be ready for any emergency that may come about. 2998. Have you incandescent lamps ? —No, we have gas. 2999. What lighting-arrangements have you if a secondary operation should be required ?—Gasjets. In the operating theatre there is a principal light. 3000. Is your operating-theatre similar to the one here ?—Very similar. 3001. Is it a modern one ? —lt cost £600. But ours is not so large as yours. 3002. You have spoken of defects in the place where the gynecological examinations were to be conducted. Do you say that the drain from the bath is not trapped ?—I did not see any trap. 3003. Did you examine for a trap ?—I did. 3004. Could you see what the arrangements were?— That is what I complained about; I was unable to see what the arrangements were. I cannot tell you what is the condition of the drain which connects with the bath. I could find no evidence of a trap. I looked and asked for it, but nobody could tell me. 3005. Have you heard that the position of the operating-room was settled by the medical staff?—l have not. Dr. Batchelor : That is not correct. We suggested another place altogether. 3006. Mr. Chapman.'] Is the list of cases in your Hospital that has been handed in compiled from memory ? —By going over the beds, as well as I can recollect them, but I do not think I shall be more than one or two out. 3007. You do not say how long the patients have been there ?—No. 3008. Have you made any calculations to determine whether the stay is longer in Christchurch or Dunedin ? —I have not, but I have read what the reports say on that subject. 3009. What reports ?—The official reports of the inspector-General. 3010. What does he say?— The reports say that the patients stay longer in the Dunedin Hospital than they do in Christchurch. To the best of my recollection that is so. 3011. I find that the proportion is this : Dunedin, 1888, 42-2; Christchurch, 3743 : Dunedin, 1889, 34 ; Christchurch, 35. There is not a very serious difference there ?—No. But I should mention that in Christchurch there are a few chronics w Tho have been in the Hospital for years. 3012. Might not that also be the case in the Dunedin Hospital?— But I was under the impression that there was a home here for such cases. 3013. For what class of cases?—lncurables. In Christchurch, at any rate, these cases have actually been in the Hospital for some years. There is no provision for them elsewhere. The chronics would operate in the matter of the death-rate quite infinitesimally, but the average stay in the Hospital would be affected very much. 3014. There has been a patient in the Dunedin Hospital, since October, ]885. Of course that case would spin out on an average ?—We have had a man in for about eleven years, and he spoils our statistics every year. 3015. In speaking of cases that have been sent from Dunedin to the Christchurch Hospital, have you known of many such cases, or is it a particular one ? —I do not know of many, but I know of some. 3016. Do you know of more than one ? —Yes. 3017. Since when have you had the case that you referred to?— Since last month. 3018. Do you know on whose recommendation it. was sent?—l do not. 3019. Sent direct from Dunedin to Christchurch ? —Yes. 3020. For operation ?—Yes. 3021. What sort of operation?— Radical cure of hernia. 3022. Dr. Batchelor.] Can you give me approximately the number of deaths you have had following operation ?—During the last twelve months ? 3023. Y 7es ; following operation? —l had a death following an operation for removal of cancer from the tongue : do you mean a case like that to be included ? 3024. Yes, take every case-? —I could not be sure of the number within the twelve months, but I think we had five cases altogether. 3025. Now, in the past twelve months, how many cases of death following operation had you? • —I can only recollect one such case,