17

H.-22,

Number of beds available for males, 79; for females, 37: total, 116. Number of patients under treatment during year: In-patients—male 1,099, female 716 total, 1,815; out-patients, 2,125 (number of attendances, 13,055). In-patients: Average days' stay, 22-30; average daily cost per head, ss. 7|d. (cost after deducting patients' payments, 4s. 9|d.). Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance expenditure, 41'9. Localities from which patients came: Christchurch and suburbs, 1,250; North Canterbury Hospital District, 368; Ashburton Hospital District, 5; Lyttelton, 55; Waimate, 2; Oamaru, 3; shipping, 21 ; various localities, under 3 each, 9; no fixed residence, 102. Nationality of patients : New-Zealanders,-904; English, 370; Irish, 142; Scotch, 85; Welsh, 14; Australian, 74; German, 9; Tasmanian, 12; Scandinavian, 7; Greek, 2; Swiss, 6; Chinese, 1; Italian, 2; Danish, 2; Austrian, 1; French, 1; United States, 2; various and unknown, 181. Religion of patients: Church of England, 804; Roman Catholic, 269; Presbyterian, 241; Methodist, 154; Lutheran, 12; Congregationalist, 6; Baptist, 28; Church of Christ, 10; Salvation Army, 14 ( ; Primitive Methodist, 8; various (1 each), 5; unknown, 261. Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ended 31st March, 1908. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. dBalance from last year ... 1,134 1 1 Rations ... ... ... 2,665 19 8 From Government ... ... 7,228 12 10 Wines, spirits, ale, and porter ... 73 310 Local bodies ... ... ... 6,526 0 0 Surgery and dispensary ... 1,220 3 0 Subscriptions and donations ... 42 10 6 Fuel and light ... ... 1,373 16 6 Bequest ... ... ... 500 0 0 Bedding and clothing ... ... 363 2 9 Patients'payments ... ... 1,684 610 Furniture and earthenware ... 156 2 6 Interest ... ... ... 45 0 0 Salaries and wages ... ... 5,195 15 10 Sale of waste ... ... 28 18 0 Funerals ... ... ... 31 19 0 Refunds ... ... ... 32 7 5 Repairs ... ... ... 314 15 7 Additions to buildings... ... 2,918 0 0 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 87 18 9 Interest ... ... ... 4 11 0 Insurance ... ... ... 69 12 2 Commission ... ... ... 44 4 7 Other expenses (principal items —Mineral waters, £26 Bs. 7d. ; hard and engine ware, £335 18s. 4d. ; travelling-expenses, £50 18s. 2d. ; architect, £105 os. 3d. ; legal, £6 6s. ; refunds, £17 ss. 6d. ; miscellaneous, £218 19s. 4d.; electric-wiring, £123 4s. 6d.; laundry machinery, £129 3s. lid.) ' ... 1,013 4 7 Total ... £17,221 16 8 Total ... £15,532 9 9 Visited several times during the year.—The burning of the Marks Hyman wards was, fortunately, unattended with any accident to patients or staff, reflecting great credit on the latter. Naturally, with the above-mentioned wards out of action, the remainder were somewhat crowded when I visited the institution in January last. Advantage was taken of this to discharge some of the chronic cases, which have hitherto occupied so large a proportion of the beds. The recent decision of the North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board to erect wards for chronic and incurable cases in connection with their institutions at Linwood and Ashburton should relieve the Hospital authorities of such cases. Consequently no considerable extension of the hospital accommodation will be necessary; but a children's war.d is badly needed, and also a better out-patient department, the demands on which are gradually increasing. When I visited the institution in March last there were 114 patients in hospital. Though nearly three months had elapsed since the fire, the rebuilding of the new wards had not been put in hand. It is proposed to put a sun-room off the main corridor. It was pleasant to see so many patients taking advantage of the gardens. I would that all other hospitals were provided with such facilities for their patients being in the open air. On the whole the wards and annexes were in fair order, allowance, of course, being made for the makeshifts necessary to meet the overcrowding of some of the wards. Members of Hospitals Boards interested in laundry matters should certainly visit this laundry and see what energetic women can do with modern machinery.

4. DUNEDIN HOSPITAL. Governing body : Dunedin Hospital Trustees. Honorary medical staff: Physicians, Drs. Colquhoun, Macdonald, and Fitchett; surgeons, Drs. Gloss, Barnett, and Butement; ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. Ferguson; gynaecologist, Dr. Batchelor; pathologist, Dr. Roberts; radiologist, Dr. Newlands; anaesthetist, Dr. Ritchie; assistant surgeon, Dr. O'Neill; assistant physician, Dr, Williams; assistant gynaecologist, Dr. Riley; assistant ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. Burt. 3—H. 22.