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old people have intracapsular fractures of the femur, got by falls. This is an unusual concentration of accidents, but I am satisfied none of them are due to carelessness. The Deputy Inspector, Mr. Chapman, and Mr. Garadus and Miss Morrison, who are deeply interested in the Asylum, and make themselves thoroughly familiar with its working, send reports of their visits to my office at each visit. P.S.—There are two cases of extraordinary difficulty now in the Asylum. Being both welleducated men (who are to a large extent, indistinguishable by ordinary observers from men who are perfectly sane), they take advantage of every privilege or kindness that is shown to them to make mischief among the patients, insult the attendants and the doctors, so that it is necessary to keep them apart, which involves hardship to either the one or the other. HOKITIKA. 14th January, 1896.—1 have this day examined the working and management of this AslyumI find the total number of patients to be 103 —males, 68 ; and females, 35. Of these, 59 males and 23 women are engaged in some kind of useful employment. Only one man was in bed, suffering from carcinoma ; I satisfied myself that he was being properly cared for. In consultation with Dr. Macandrew, I examined all the patients. All are well clothed, well fed, and have clean and comfortable beds. lam pleased with the care and attention given to the patients. The whole staff are evidently efficient and attentive to their duties. I never saw any institution in better order. Dr. Macandrew is very attentive. The books are all in order. The stock is accurately returned. All the statutory documents were examined and found correct. The entertainments are regularly carried on every week. A new day-room has been provided on the male side for the more aged and helpless patients, and a very neat waiting-room has been built on the female side. It is always a pleasure to visit this Asylum. Nelson. 23rd January, 1896.—T0-day and yesterday I was engaged in my usual inspection of this Aslyum. The total number of patients is 125—men, 72 ; women, 53. Of these, all but 17 are engaged daily in some healthful occupation. I found none under any form of restraint, and none in seclusion or confined to bed. The food was good in quality, and well cooked. Every part of the Asylum is clean and in good order. The Asylum suffers, however, like every other institution of the kind in the colony, from overcrowding. This fact greatly increases the work and responsibility of the Superintendent and his officers ; but, so far, they have nobly responded by their vigilance and devotion to their duties. .For nearly seven years Mr. and Mrs. Morrison have managed the Asylum to my entire satisfaction, and I hope that next year the Government will see their way to acknowledging their good services. I regret that Dr. Boor, whose long connection with the Asylum as its Medical Officer has been so satisfactory to the Government and to the public, has suffered of late from failing health. I hope his well deserved holiday will have the effect of restoring his services to the Asylum. Mr. Fell, the Deputy Inspector, and Mr. Melhuish, the Official Visitor, are of great service in visiting the Asylum, thus assuring the public mind, and keeping the department informed from time to time of matters requiring attention. A new dairy is urgently required. The cottage dormitory is almost too dilapidated for further use. I hope to induce the Government to acknowledge Mr. and Mrs. Morrison's services by providing them with a house near the Asylum. All the books and statutory documents are in order, save the Case Book and Medical Journal, which for the present I permitted Dr. Boor to omit, owing to his state of health. Wellington. 16th October, 1895. —To-day and yesterday I was engaged in inspecting this Asylum. The state of the institution as a whole is satisfactory, when allowance is made for overcrowding. The old lavatory in the front female ward requires to be renewed. The interior airing-courts being full (owing to repairs going on in the inside one), were noisy. The state of the refractory patients, owing to this temporary deprivation, was an impressive demonstration of the importance of a good view of the surrounding country as a means of interesting and soothing even the most unruly patients. The linoleum in the corridors of the refractory wards is getting into a bad state, and will have to be replaced as soon as our means allow. The total number of patients is 180 men and ninety-nine women. I examined them all, paying particular attention to recent cases, and making special examinations of some cases with regard to which complaints had been made. One woman in particular, whose friends were making an outcry about her being improperly detained, and whose manner on all ordinary occasions would deceive all but an expert, so sensible and ladylike was her manner and conversation, behaved in my presence and several of the other officers in such an outrageous way as could not be described. There are always in our asylums cases of this kind, which, owing to the free access given in our asylums to non-professional persons either as officials or as friends, give rise to the idea that some persons are improperly detained. I need not say that the greatest care is taken here, as in all our asylums, to avoid anything of this kind. Indeed, our temptations are all the other way, for every vacancy we can make is a distinct relief. A gentleman who had taken up the case of the woman referred to from a misguided sense of duty was very much astonished and ashamed of his conduct to-day when I told him the scenes that I had myself witnessed. Only two men and two women were confined to bed. All were being properly cared for. I was pleased to find that there was no entry in the Bestraints Eegister since my last visit. Only thirty men and eighteen women are incapable of being interested in some kind of employment. The stock I found well cared for, and the stocksheets accurate. I examined the stores, and found everything of good quality. I noticed an improvement in the nurses' table, due to Mrs. Neill's representations some time ago. I interviewed the cook, and urged on him the necessity of strict attention to this matter. I authorised the building of a new brick oven to replace the old one. The statutory books and documents were all in good order. The fire apparatus, under Captain Hennah's directions, is made thoroughly efficient, and is well looked after. I heard no complaints from any member of the staff. 2—H. 7.

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