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A movement is on foot, and shows great promise of being crowned with success, to establish a maternity hospital, somewhat on the lines of the St. Helens hospitals, in Gisborne. The Cook County Women's Guild is the moving agent, and already a large sum of money has been collected, and a piece of land has been given by the Government. It is proposed to make this hospital also a training school for midwives. The work of the State maternity hospitals has been steadily growing, and the difficulties at times experienced of accommodating without overcrowding the number of women desirous of being attended in these hospitals emphasizes the necessity of increased room. The reports of each hospital appended will show the work done and the pupils trained. In each hospital the number of pupils has been increased to meet the demands from outside as well as within the hospitals. There are still large numbers of young women applying for admission as pupils, a fair proportion being registered as general trained nurses. The policy of the hospitals is to receive just as many trainees as can be provided with twenty cases —the minimum number required by each before she can come up for examination—and as there is sleeping-accommodation for. This, while it gives the pupils an adequate training, lightens the work, which, to those especially who are new to nursingwork, is often rather trying. St. Helens Hospital, Wellington. From the Ist April, 1908, to the 31st March, 1909, there were 163 admitted, and 166 births took place, and two stillbirths. There were two maternal deaths, but no deaths of infants. Sixty-nine patients were attended at their homes, there being sixty-eight births and four stillbirths. The work of this Hospital is still carried on in the house in Colombo Street, Newtown, rented in September, 1907. A house near-by was fortunately obtained, in which the nurses are quartered, thus leaving more accommodation for the patients. There are now fourteen beds, and one or two more can be taken in if necessary. A corner of the verandah has been covered in with canvas, and has been found invaluable for cases waiting and under treatment before confinement. Some means of outdoor treatment for cases awaiting confinement, whose condition would improve so much, as has been the case with these few patients, would be a valuable addition to the maternity hospitals in future. Six pupil-midwives have been trained in this Hospital during the last twelve months. There are now nine pupils in training. Dr. Agnes Bennett is still in charge of the Hospital, and has done excellent work in the charge of patients, and in the instruction of the pupils. Miss Brown continues her duties as Matron to the satisfaction of the Department, and Miss Clark, trained in St. Helens, Auckland, was appointed Sub-matron. It is hoped that during the next year the work of building the permanent maternity hospital for Wellington may be commenced, a site having been selected on the Mount Cook Reserve. In a building such as the one now in use there are very many difficulties in carrying on the work of midwifery-nursing in an up-to-date and thoroughly aseptic manner. It has also been necessary, owing to lack of room, to send away to private hospitals cases which had been booked to enter St. Helens, but which had not been laid up at the time expected; and, in order not to disappoint or in any way inconvenience these women, the difference of cost had been defrayed by the State. St. Helens Hospital, Dunedin. From the Ist April, 1908, till the 31st March, 1909, 204 patients were admitted. There were" 205 births, no maternal deaths, two stillbirths, two deaths of infants. Twelve patients were attended in their homes. Owing to the fact that the students from the Medical School Maternity Hospital, Firth Street, attend the poorer class of women in their homes, there are not so large a number of outdoor cases attended from St. Helens, Dunedin, as in the other three State maternity hospitals. During the year some extensive additions and alterations have been made in the Hospital. The. jabour ward has been supplied with hot and cold water to aseptic basins and sinks, which are also supplied with sterilised hot and cold water. It has also been painted with enamel paint, and is much more suitable for the work earned out there. Several of the wards have been painted with sanitary paint; a balcony has been built round two sides of the building, getting the northern light and sunshine. One end of this is partly enclosed with glass, and has been found invaluable for putting outside the mothers and infants. A second fire-escape has been added. The laundry and drying-room have been greatly improved, and also the servants' accommodation. The next great need is that of an isolation ward. There is not room on the property to build one at a proper distance from the Hospital without a very great deal of expense for levelling. Negotiations have been going on to obtain an adjoining piece of land, and authority given by Cabinet to expend £900 in acquiring the section, on which is ample room to build a good isolation ward, and for future extension of the Hospital. An old cottage now on the property would be of use for the present accommodation of nurses, which is badly needed. There have been no changes in the staff: Dr. Siedeberg, Miss Holford, and Miss Gow continue to give whole-hearted work in the institution. There are now eight pupils training in the Hospital, and during the last twelve months nine nurses have been certificated and registered as midwives. St. Helens Hospital, Auckland. From the Ist April, 1908, till the 31st March, 1909, 217 patients were admitted. There were 217 births and three stillbirths, and one maternal death, and two deaths of infants. One hundred and fortynine patients were attended outside the Hospital in their homes and in the Door of Hope Refuge for single girls. There were 145 births, one being a case of twins, and five stillbirths.