H.—7

Session ]I 1906. NEW ZEALAND

MENTAL HOSPITALS OF THE COLONY (REPORT ON) FOR 1905.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Inspector-General of Asylums to the Hon. the Premier. Sir,— - Wellington, 21st July, 1906. I have the honour to lay before you the following report on the Mental Hospitals of the colony for the year ended the 31st December, 1905 :— The number of registered insane persons on the 31st December, 1905, was 3,112 —males, 1,836; females, 1,276, being an increase of 74—males, 35 ; females, 39—over the previous year. The insane of the colony are distributed as follows :— Males. Females. Total. Auckland ... ... .. ... ... 380 252 632 Christchurch ... ... ... 276 265 541 Dunedin (Seacliff) ... ... ... ... 467 269 736 Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... 132 39 171 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... 84 58 142 Porirua ... ... ... ... ... 329 279 608 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... 149 89 238 Ashburn Hall (private mental hospital) ... ... 19 25 44 1,836 1,276 3,112 The proportion of the male insane to the male population is,— New Zealand (exclusive of Maoris) ... .. 389 per 1,000, or lin 257 New Zealand (inclusive of Maoris) ... ... 3 - 74 „ lin 267 The proportion of the female insane to the female population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3 - 04 „ lin 325 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 2 - 93 „ lin 341 The proportion of the total insane to the total population, — Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3 - 49 „ lin 286 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 336 „ lin 297 Admissions. On the Ist January, 1905, the number of insane persons in our mental hospitals was— males, 1,801 ; females, 1,237 : total, 3,038. The, number of those admitted during the year for the first time was—males, 342 ; females, 235 : total, 577. The readmissions numbered—males, 57; females, 45 : total, 102. Tiie number transferred from one hospital to another during the year was —males, 39; females, 29 : total, 68. Deaths. The percentage of deaths on the average number resident during the year was 7 - 07, as compared with 6 - 38 for the previous year. The percentage of deaths on the admissions was —males, 4083 ; females, 26 - 69 : total, 35 : 02. Recoveries. The percentage of recoveries on the admissions was—males, 41 - 39 ; females, 48-21: total, 44-19, as compared with—males, 46 - 18; females, 44-17 : total, 45 - 34, for the previous year. Proportion of the Insane to the Population. 1878 ... ... ... ... ... lin 471 or 2-12 per 1,000 1883 ... ... ... ... ... „ 393 „ 2-54 1888 .... ... ... ... 361 „ 2-77 1893 ... ... ... ... ... „ 330 „ 303 1898 ... ... • ... ... ... „ 300 „ 3-33 1903 ... ... .. ... ... „ 284 „ 3^3 1904 ... ... ... ... 285 „ 3-51 1905 ... ~. ~, .., ... „ 286 „ 3-49

I—H. 7.