H.—7

6

suitable building has been well designed and carried out by Mr. Gribben, who has deserved the thanks of the Department. At an expense of about £750 accommodation has been provided for fifty people, showing an extraordinary triumph of skill and economy. Only one skilled artisan outside of our own staff was employed. The material for the building is of the best quality, and the workmanship is excellent. There is great want of day-room space on the female side, and I have instructed Mr. Griffen to provide an enlarged space by including a single room and store in the day-room. In less than two months the new quarters will be occupied, and the airing-court with a sunk fence will speedily be ready. The accommodation now provided will meet our requirements for a considerable time to come. Nelson Asylum. 9th May, 1904. —I have inspected every part of this building and its adjuncts. The main part of the Asylum is old, and some parts where white-pine was used are rotten. Originally insufficient space was left underneath, and dry-rot prevails especially in the kitchen and its neighbourhood. The whole needs painting all over. The drainage must he put right on an entirely new system, for which the resident engineer has promised to make an estimate of the cost. The male airing-court ought to be laid afresh. These defects give the whole building a dingy and unsatisfactory appearance. The reason for all this is mainly want of money, but I hope, now that they are bestirring themselves, we shall soon be able to get these things put right. I saw only one chronic in bed suffering from diabetes, and too ill to live long. The patients are suitably clad and fed. Their numbers this day are, males 87, and females 55. Porirua Asylum. 22nd November, 1903. —I have been all over the buildings, and have seen all the patients. Only one female patient is confined to bed —to prevent prolapsus recti. On the male side a few chronics are allowed to remain in bed. All are carefully looked after. I also saw the patients enjoy a good dinner, and I was very much struck with their fresh healthy look. I was relieved to find that no one had suffered from the recent long spell of such severe weather. The plans for laying out the grounds by Dr. Hassell are making rapid progress, and in a short time the cricket-ground and new airing-courts will immensely improve the comfort of the patients. Notwithstanding the long stretch of dry weather the recent rains have freshened up every thing in a marvellous way. I earnestly hope the laundry accommodation will be speedily extended, for the additional fifty patients transferred here are utterly beyond the power of the old laundry to deal with. The smokestack ought to be extended at once for it disfigures the buildings and spoils the drying-green. The institution is working harmoniously, and it is a great pleasure to visit it; and this will be increasingly so as the laying : out of the grounds progresses. 13th June, 1904. —To-day I find this institution working well in all departments. The number of male patients confined to bed is eight, some suffering from influenza ; nearly all are convalescent. Five females were confined to bed. I visited all these in company with Drs. Hassell and Barraclough, and found that they were all being carefully and kindly treated. I saw the dinner which was good. The patients' dresses and foot-gear were all suitable, both as regards material and quantity. The number of male patients to-day is 324, females 254. Eight males and eight females are out on trial. Every part of the building was clean, the day-rooms very bright and airy, and all the dormitories were in firstrate order. Good progress is being made in laying out the cricket-ground and airing-courts. A slight effort of the constructive imagination will make any but the dullest see how beautiful this place will be in a few years. I hope to see the enlargement of the laundry rendered necessary by the new auxiliary in working-order. It is urgently required. The additions to the auxiliary lately authorised are progressing. The administrative capacity of Dr. Hassell is everywhere apparent, and he is ably and faithfully seconded by Dr. Barraclough. The staff as a whole is working well, and the farm is well managed by Mr. Prebble. Wellington Asylum. 17th November, 1903.—1 have examined this hospital for nervous diseases and found everything going on well. The male side is now a pleasure to visit, since the removal of fifty male patients to Porirua. I regret to say, however, that there is an excess of twenty-five patients on the female side. I saw the dinner ; examined the clothes and building ; and found nothing to find fault with, except perhaps that the fish for dinner were so small that it was difficult, if not impossible, to prevent their being very much broken in distribution. I saw and examined all the recent and convalescent cases in company with Drs. Gow and Ulrich. I am satisfied that so far as the structural defects of the building admit of it, everything is well looked after. Had fire alarm : result, very good. 23rd May, 1904.—1 found this Asylum working satisfactorily. In company with Drs. Cow and Ulrich, I saw all the patients, and considered all the recent and convalescent cases. Only three women were confined to bed and three men. All were visited. The food, clothing and bedding were all examined. For my lunch I got a bowl of the soup as it was being brought in and served in the dininghall, and I never tasted better. Notwithstanding the age and patchwork character of the building, it has always appeared to me to have a look of homely comfort about it, and this it still retains. Dr. Ulrich's attention to his work is very satisfactory. lam sorry to find that the paper, with which the corridors, &c, were repaired about four months ago, is losing its colour and is already very patchy. I have called Mr. Holmes's attention to the matter, and he has undertaken to inquire into it. Ashbuen Hall, Dunedin. 29th November, 1903.—1 have seen every patient. Nobody was confined to bed. Seven of the patients —five women and two men —are voluntary. I examined the dinner and found it very good.