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8. Considering the full power of control of expenditure already possessed by the Minister, Government representation upon Hospital Boards by means of nominated members is not recommended, except that in the case of Auckland, Wellington, North Canterbury, and Otago Hospital Boards, to whom it is proposed to give special financial consideration for base-hospital purposes, it is recommended that there be one member on each Board appointed by the Government ; and, further, that in the case of the Otago Hospital Board an additional member lie appointed by the Government, to be nominated by the Medical Faculty of the University of Otago. 9. The constitution and. area of the hospital districts should continue as at present, except that the following hospital districts should be amalgamated : Pictojp with Wairau ; Inangahua with Grey ; and Waihi with Thames. The public hospitals at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin should be constituted base hospitals : See also 2 (b). Economy would be effected to a very large extent by the adoption of the following recommendations : — (a.) A Hospital Supplies Purchase Board should be constituted under the Health Department, composed of one responsible officer of and appointed by each of the four base-hospital Boards, one from the Health Department, one from the Mental Hospitals Department, and two business men nominated by the Minister. This Board should arrange for the standardization, purchase, and distribution of equipment and supplies for all institutions under the Hospital Boards, Health Department, and Mental Hospitals Department. Hospital equipment and supplies, where possible, should be standardized with a view to economical buying by placing combined orders for Dominion requirements for delivery at centres as required. (b.) An Inspecting House Steward should be a permanent officer of the Department. He should introduce an efficient system of recording and checking the receipt and issue of supplies at each hospital, and should report fully to the Department and the Hospital Board affected, after each inspection. (c.) Two Inspecting Accountants should be appointed at once to introduce a uniform system of accounts and returns. They should check the accounts, stores, and equipment of each hospital at least once a year, and introduce an effective system for the collection of fees by each Hospital Board, and report to the Department from time to time on the operation of such system. They should introduce a uniform system of costing at each hospital, and examine into and report to the Department on the cost of maintenance. (d.) With a view to assuring the most efficient design and construction of hospitals, and the standardizing of buildings, where possible, a specially qualified architect should be appointed, who would be expected to make a continuous study of the latest developments of hospital-construction. Wherever possible complete ground-plans providing for ultimate extensions should be prepared, and be conformed to in subsequent building operations. (c.) A skilled dietitian should be appointed at once by the Otago Hospital Board, to organize at the Dunedin Hospital, in conjunction with the Home Science Department of the University of Otago, the training of pupil dietitians. As soon as possible dietitians should be appointed at the Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch Hospitals by the respective Boards. (/.) A uniform system of medical records should be introduced into all hospitals. (g.) It is suggested that as additional accommodation for patients become;-! necessary in the largest centres the policy be considered of building secondary hospitals for convalescent and chronic cases. (h.) In section 72 (1), The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1909, in line 1, after the words " When a person receives," there should be added the words " charitable aid." A clause should be inserted in an amending Bill empowering the Boards of the Auckland, Wellington, North Canterbury, and Otago Hospital Districts to recover from another Hospital Board the cost of special treatment given by any of them to any bona fide resident of that Board's district. (i.) Medical research and the preventive work of the Health Department should be further developed with a view to improving the national health and thus lessening the need for hospital accommodation.