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Christchurch. -Visitedjin March, May, July, and December, 1921, and in March of this year. The condition of the patients was satisfactory on each of these occasions, and I received no complaints. The additions to the No. 2 Ward day-room were nearing completion, and the addition to the diningroom of the same ward is to be taken next in order. The artisan staff has also completed the head attendant's cottage, alterations and additions at Hornby, including the nurses' home, as well as general repairs. I trust that they may be able to proceed now with the attendants' quarters. We also want a small building for farm-workers at Templeton. " The Lodge," Hornby, is now ready for occupation, and I have circularized the medical profession that we can receive a limited number of patients having the means to pay for what is necessarily an expensive undertaking. The ordinary fees are at the rate of seven guineas a week for the first three months ; but patients will not be admitted or continue in residence whose conduct is likely to interfere with the well-being of others. For the present men cannot be received, but it is hoped that a villa will be added for them, as there is space enough on the 50 acres of estate, laid out in garden and pleasure-grounds, for the one not to interfere with the other. Dr. Roberts will reside at " The Lodge," to begin with, paying daily visits to Sunnyside, while Dr. Crosby will visit the patients and have the medical direction of " The Lodge." Seacliff. —Visited in February and August, 1921, and in March of this year. The comfort and well-being of the patients is studied as heretofore. I learned with regret that, owing to the exigencies of the women's side, it had been found necessary recently to give up temporarily the staffing of Clifton House and the male infirmary by nurses. In saying this I am casting no reflection on the attendant staff, which is competent and trustworthy, but the sentiment which attaches to woman in the capacity of a nurse is, at least, of therapeutic value to the newly admitted patient and to the sick. While the more expensive schemes with regard to a new kitchen and utilizing the present kitchen for a central bathroom had to stand aside during the financial stringency, other less expensive works have been gone on with. The new unit at Waitati was nearing completion on my last visit, and is now being furnished. The nurses' mess-room, similar to the one provided for and much appreciated by the attendants some time back, is now in occupation. The head attendant is in residence in his new cottage, and a number of other and lesser works have been carried out. Hokitika. —Visited in March and December, 1921, and in January, March, and May this year. In my last report I stated that after consideration I had advised against the closing of this institution, and you agreed with me that it should be rebuilt, the obsolete parts being replaced in order of urgency. I also expressed regret that the resolution synchronized with a period of financial stringency. Pursuant to this resolution, an architect from the Public Works Department, detailed for the work, spent a week on the site towards the end of July, and plotted out a new institution on the block system. Subsequently, a good deal of publicity was given to the obsolete character of the buildings and the fact that water-closets had not been installed. For some years this institution was awaiting its doom, on the railway-tunnel linking up the West Coast with Canterbury, and new buildings were to be erected near Sunnyside; but the scheme had a set-back when negotiations failed for the purchase of land. Under these conditions this limited sums we had for construction-works were diverted to the reception-hospital blocks at Sunnyside and Porirua, and up-to-date units at Tokanui and elsewhere, which were urgently needed. 1 feel that any further criticism of the old buildings is unnecessary in order to bring to your notice our requirements, because you saw them in May last, when you definitely stated that drainage-works and the reception-hospital block were to be proceeded with at the same time as the kitchen unit now under construction. However, I may remark of this institution, now fast approaching dissolution, De morluis nil nisi bonum, that it has maintained a good average recovery-rate and, during the quinquennium ending 1920, the death-rate was 6-25 per cent, of those under care, though they included a larger proportion of senile patients (approaching a third) than any of the other institutions. In regard to the installation of water-closets, we did not get the water-supply which would have enabled this to be carried out till the fate of the institution was in jeopardy. Earth-closets were not strange to the patients, and I explained to the former lay Superintendent the scientific principles underlying Vivian Poore's recommendations, which, if carried out, left these closets with no worse a disqualification than inconvenience. Until recently earth-closets were, and may be still, in use in one of the large English asylums with a population of more than half our total patients, and the soil is used there for its manurial value, which is calculated at 6s. Bd. per individual per annum. But, undoubtedly, inconvenience is attached to the system for us, and water-closets are to be installed in the new building, despite the doubtful efficiency of the town water-supply, which, however, is to be augmented by conserving the rainfall in tanks and reservoirs. As we could not start the new buildings till money was voted by Parliament, workshops were gone on with to facilitate progress when authority was granted. It was generally admitted that the most urgent initial building was one which would replace the inadequate kitchen, the inconveniently placed bakehouse and scattered storerooms, thus permitting a congestion of sheds to be cleared. To the plan of this building was attached a large dining-hall. When everything was ready to start, Dr. Buchanan and I agreed early in the new year that a hospital on the villa system instead of the block plan would be more suitable for the site, and more modern, and that, fortunately, no actual work having been done, now or never was the time to act. We therefore cut out the dining-hall, substituting a staff mess-room and sitting-room and a billiard-room on the ground floor, with nurses' quarters above. There have been delays, but the alteration of plans was the main factor, as the whole block scheme went by the board with its fixed points for drainage. To try to catch up with the time lost the foundation plan of the first unit was forwarded and started on, while detail plans, in keeping with materials already ordered and partly delivered, were under preparation. At the time of writing the plan of the reception hospital is practically completed and its site fixed, so that first the women's side of the main building and then the men's can be removed, while interfering with their interim occupation as little as possible.