H.—3l

80

Summary of Analyses made in the Dominion Laboratory, Wellington— continued.

APPENDIX 11. PART I.—REPORT o.X NURSES REGISTRATION ACT. MIDWIVES, AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS. Sir,— 1 have the honour to report concerning the administration ol' the Nurses Registration Act, 1901, the Midwives Act, 1904 (Consolidated Statute, 1908), and Pari 111 of the Hospitals anil Charitable Inst it nl ions Act. 1909. Thk Nurses Registration Act. During the past year there were two examinations held by the State, lor which 125 nurses trained ill the various hospitals were candidates. Ol' these HIS passed, anil their names were placed on the register of trained nurses. The receipts of fees I'm examination and registration were £133 It's., ami the expenses in connection with the examination were .£142 2s. The I'ee I'm- examination ami registration is not expected to cover the expense, and it includes a badge anil certificate. In the Rills for nurses registration proposed in oilier countries the fee to be charged is based on a minimum of two guineas, ami there is a small annual fee to be paid to retain a nurse's name on the register. This serves tin- purpose of keeping the Registrar of Nurses to a certain extent in touch with the members of the profession who have been registered, ami gives a more accurate knowledge of the number of nurses actually engaged in practising their profession. In order to make the New Zealand Registei of Nurses us reliable a record as possible; a system has been adopted of sending a circular every second year to every muse on the register, asking her for her correct address, present position, for any further experience to lie added to her qualifications, and to state whether or not she is still engaged in nursing. The result has been that the register is now a more reliable means of giving tin- public the information regarding nurses which it is desirable they should possess when wishing to employ them. The number of nurses coming up annually for examination shows a large increase in the last ten years. In December. 19U2. and Mav. 1903, when the first Stale examination was held. there were 34 nurses examined and registered ; in 191(1 there wen- 108. The term of office of the examiners appointed in 1907 came to a close after the June examination, 1910, and a second Board was appointed, many of th ■ examiners being appointed for a further term of three years. The Matrons of some of the hospital training-schools were invited to act, it being felt that their knowledge of nursing progress would be more up-to-date than that of nurses who were engaged in private work. The Matrons at an examination centre would examine the nurses from outside institutions, while a Matron from one of the outside institutions would examine the local nurses. The innovation which was made possible by the inclusion under one Hoard of all the institutions in the district —that is. of there being one main hospital and training-school, with the other institutions and cottage hospitals associated with it. stalled from its ranks of sister and staff nurses, and supplied with probationers from its roll—has now been fairly initiated by the Christchurch and Dunedin Hospitals, and partially by the Auckland and Wellington Hospitals. There are several hospital districts which may soon follow this example. Masterton Hospital has as its adjuncts the Greytown Hospital, which will soon have a line Incurable Home attached. and the Pahiatua Hospital. Neither o'f these Hospitals has been able to train probationers: but a three-months term in each would be excellent experience for the probationer, would get over the difficulty of keeping a sufficient staff at the smaller places without paying the salary of a

Nature. Object of Analysis. .Number. Chinese brandy Wine Hop-beer Stomach Vomit, &c Pills, &c Medicine Counterfeit coins Bot-fly powder Chaff Sack... For Police Department. ... Alcohol ... Poisons ... pf ... ... ... Composition ... ] Arsenic ... i 1 1 18 2 2 3 1 2 1 1 1 Total 310