7

E.—3.

I must again thank Sister Ambrose for her untiring zeal in looking aftei the health of thp children and trust she will remain with them for many years. I have, &c, P. Mackin, M.D., F.R.C.S. Ed., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

NELSON. St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Boys' School, Stoke. Sir,— . Nelson, 15th May, 1906. The year, medically speaking, has been uneventful. There has been no epidemic disease during the year. The health of the boys has been particularly good. No deaths occurred during the year. The new buildings are excellent and sanitary, but the septic tank is not all that can be desired ; the filter-beds often smell. The simplest remedy would be to carry the effluent by a pipe some distance down the valley, then to make the filter-beds so as to have them at a considerable distance from the buildings. I have, &c, Jas. Hudson, M.B. (Lond.), The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Girls' School, Nelson. Sir,— Nelson, 15th May, 1906. During the year there has been no epidemic disease. The health in general of the inmates has been particularly good. Two deaths have occurred in the institution during the year —one Sister, Mary St. Clair ; one baby, aged three months and a half, from marasmus. The new wash-houses, .fee, now being erected will be a great improvement I have, &c, Jas. Hudson, M.B. (Lond.), The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

CANTERBURY. Government School, Te Oranga Home. Sir,— Christchurch, 20th April, 1906. I have the honour to report that the health of the inmates of this Home has been generally good during the past year. There have been no severe illnesses. On making my.monthly inspection of dormitories, class, dining, and other rooms I found them always scrupulously clean. I consider much credit is.,due to Mrs. Branting's good management and untiring energy. At present the buildings are so arranged that the inmates are divided into two classes. It would be a great advantage if accommodation could be made so as to arrange the girls into three classes, and thus to separate the worst types of girls from the others. I have, &c, A. Moorhouse, M.8., Ch.B., ■ The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Government Receiving Home, Christchurch. Sir,— Christchurch, 20th April, 1906. I have the honour to report that there has been no epidemic of sickness during the past year. One baby aged four months died of bronchitis, but he was one of twins and had been feeble from birth. F. A. died at Nurse Maude's men's camp for consumptives, while under Dr. Greenwood's care, from pulmonary tuberculosis. The Home has been kept scrupulously clean and neat, and the best made of the very limited accommodation of the cottage which is being used for the Home. The roomsaresmall, and at times are too crowded,.for]the health of the inmates. I am, &c, A. Moorhouse, M.8., Ch.B., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Government School, Burnham. Sir, — Christchurch, Ist June, 1906. I have the honour to submit the following report on the Burnham Industrial School for the past year. The health of the school has been generally good with the exception of occasional slight outbreaks of sore throat and of boils, which I attribute to the gas given off by the septic tank, especially when pumped out for the irrigation of the garden. The remedy, if not too expensive, would be to pass the effluent through coke filters, as is done at the Benevolent Asylum at Dunedin. One death has occurred from heart-disease, in the case of a boy named M., who was sent home to his mother in Dunedin. This boy was seriously ill when he came to Burnham, and he was only a short time there.