H.—7

10

and show a decrease in 1911 of £1 10s. B|d. on the net cost. Had the recoveries for maintenance stood at the same sum per head in 1910, there would have been an increase in the net cost per head amounting to 10s. s|d. It will be evident that there has not been, through parsimony, any reduction in the standard of comfort when it is stated that in the institutions showing a decrease in net cost (Auckland, Seacliff, Porirua), the recoveries for maintenance were increased by £2 4s. Id., £1 19s. B|d., and £4 Is. 7|d. respectively. The increase in maintenance receipts has submerged the effect of the increase in salary of the nursing staff and the salary for the half-year and cost of passages of second assistant medical officers added to each of the larger institutions.

In this table Head Office salaries and expenses (£2,711 3s. 2d.) and medical fees (£1,434 14s. 3d.) are omitted. Giving these value, the net annual cost per patient is £23 14s. 4Jd., as against £25 2s. ljd. for 1910, a decrease of £1 7s. 9d. In stating the cost per patient above, interest on capital expenditure is omitted, and also for repairs charged to the Public Works Consolidated Fund. Adding these items, the approximate full cost per annum will be — s. d. £ a. d. Average gross cost in mental hospitals ... ... ... ... 34 0 7J Proportion of Head Office salaries and expenses ... ... 15 3 Proportion of fees for medical certificates, &c. ... ... 8 Of 1 3 3f Proportion of interest (averaged at 4 per cent.) on Public Works expenditure from July, 1877, to 31st March, 1912 ... 6 16 41 Proportion of interest (averaged at 4-J- per cent.) for capital cost previous to above period ... ... ... ... 0 13 llf Gross cost ... ... ... ... ... ... 42 14 3 Less receipts for maintenance and sale of produce ... 11 9 6f Net cost ... ... ... ... ... £31 4 81 In 1910 the full cost so reckoned was £42 3s. 3Jd., and the net £32 15s. llfd. The Staff. The following scale of increases of salaries of attendants and nurses came into force on the Ist April, 1911 :— Attendants : First year (probationers), from £77 10s. to £80 ; second year (junior attendants), from £82 10s. to £85 ; third year (junior attendants), from £87 10s. to £90 ; fourth year (senior attendants), from £92 10s. to £95 ; fifth year (senior attendants), from £97 10s. to £100 ; sixth year (senior attendants), from £102 10s. to £105 ; first year (charge attendants), from £107 10s. to £110; second year (charge attendants), from £112 10s. to £115 ; third year (charge attendants), from £117 10s. to £120 ; fourth year (charge attendants), from £122 10s. to £125 ; fifth year (charge attendants), from £127 10s. to £130. Deputy head attendants and deputy charge attendants £2 10s. per annum more than their ordinary status, rising to a maximum of £140 per annum and £110 per annum respectively. Nurses : First year (probationers), £45 (no increase) ; second year (junior nurses), £50 (no increase) ; third year (junior nurses), £55 (no increase) ; fourth year (senior nurses), £60 (no increase) ; fifth year (senior nurses), from £60 to £62 10s. ; first year (charge nurses), £65 to £70 ; second year (charge nurses), £70 to £75 ; third year (charge nurses), £75 to £80. Deputy charge nurses £2 10s. per annum more than their ordinary status. I have again to draw attention to the fact that the members of the staff in this Department labour under a disability with regard to amount of the pension due to them on superannuation in that their emoluments are excluded in estimating salary. Did we not provide board, lodging, washing, &c, in the case of the nursing staff, uniform, the cash part of the salary would need to be increased to permit individual provision to be made ;, it is reasonable, therefore, that for purposes of superannuation there

1911. 19: .0. 1911. 1911. I ■ Mental Hospital. Total Cost per Patient, less Total Cost Receipts for per Patient. Maintenance, Sales of Produce, &o. Total Cost per Patient. Total Cost per Patient, less Receipts for Maintenance, Sales of Produce, &c. Decrease, i Increase. Auckland Ghristohurch ... Seaeliff Hokitika Nelson Porirua £ s. a. 27 9 0 36 8 11| 41 .8 2 29 1 7 30 17 1 32 18 8| £ s. d. 18 14 9 23 0 10J 27 6 l|23 13 Cf 23 14 8 20 15 8i £ s. d. 26 9 9 34 17 6 40 1 71 25 15 2| 29 7 31 33 3 10 £ s. 19 15 22 15 27 14 22 6 23 10 25 5 d. 7 7 6 2i 3 8 £ s. a. 1 0 10 0 8 4J £ s. d. 0 5 3| 1 6" 9i 0 4 5 4 10 4| Averages ... 34 0 7i J 22 11 0£ 33 9 0* 24 1 8f 1 10 si