31

H.—22

Visited 11th January, 1905, and 24th May, 1905. —The old Hospital in this place was built without any rational plan, and cannot now be added to, and, besides, the white pine which entered so largely into its construction is so drilled by the borer that it has become unsafe. A fine new Hospital has been designed by Mr. Atkins, of Wanganui, who made so good a job of the Hospital there, and I am confident he will do this equally well. As regards the actual working of this institution, I found everything in a very satisfactory state, reflecting great credit on Dr. Douglass and his staff. There were forty-six patients on the day of my visit. The Matron, Miss Rothwell, is assisted by a staff of nine nurses. Very large ideas prevail in this district as to the completeness of the Hospital organization required.

WAIMATE HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1904 ... ... ... 11 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 126 Total under treatment ... ... ... 137 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 116 Died 7 Remaining on 31st March, 1905 ... ... 14 Sex. —9o males, 47 females. Locality from which Patients came. —Waimate County. Country. —England, 24 ; Scotland, 19 ; Ireland, 24; New Zealand, 60 ; Australia, 8; Germany, 2. Total collective days' stay in Hospital, 3,062 ; individual average days' stay, 22-35. Daily average cost per head, Bs. 2d.; less patients' payments, 7s. 5Jd. Outdoor Patients. —lndividual cases, 47 ; attendances, 143. Receipts and Expenditure. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 609 10 4 Rations ... :.. ... 206 16 0 Local bodies ... ... ... 607 15 6 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 12 1 3 Subscriptions and donations ... 773 Surgery and dispensary 74146 Patients'payments ... ... 107 1 0 Fuel and light ... ... ... 99 311 Other sources ... ... ... 048 Bedding and clothing ... ... 36164 Furniture and earthenware ... 750 Salaries and wages ... ... 507 15 8 New buildings and repairs ... 56 16 0 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 11 16 9 Interest ... ... ... 0 19 6 Insurance ... .. ... 13 9 0 Commission ... ... ... 010 0 Gardening, cartages, and labour ... 136 11 7 Live stock ... ... ... 13 2 0 Other expenses... ... ... 73 16 2 Total .. £1,331 18 9 Total ... £1,251 13 8 Visited 21st February, 1905.—This Hospital is very vigorously administered by Dr. Barclay. I found it in good order. The Matron, Mrs. Chapman, has done good service for many years, but the time has now come when she should be retired on the most generous possible terms, and replaced by the best certificated nurse that can be found. It is almost too much to expect that friction will not arise between a Matron of Mrs. Chapman's age and certificated nurses under her command. That is a position of unstable eqiulibrium and full of difficulty.

WAIPAWA HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1904 ... ... . 29 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 365 Total under treatment ... ... ... 394 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 346 Died... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 Remaining on 31st March, 1905 ... ... 27 Sex. —280 males, 114 females. Localities from which Patients came. —Takapau, 37; Bush, 97; Dannevirke, 79; Te Aute and Coast, 39 ; Waipawa, 24 ; Waipukurau, 32 ; Weber, 23 ; Makaretu, 20 ; Hastings, 8 ; Woodville, 7 ; Palmerston, 5; Porangahau, 4 ; Patea, 3; Napier, 4; Masterton, 2; Mauriceville, 1 • Auckland, 1; Taranaki, 1; Wairoa, 1; Kaikora, 5 ; Wanganui, 1.