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The recommended amendment of the Hospital Act to prevent the admission of even one case at a time for payment into an unlicensed Home, if carried through, should prove of benefit to the trained midwives. It is advocated by many doctors and others that more trained nurses should be trained as midwives. This is certainly ideal but far from practical, as, though a great number of registered nurses apply for midwifery training, few of them intend to work as midwifery nurses when qualified : they look upon the certificate, quite rightly, as a necessary adjunct for full qualification as a nurse. As it is necessary to have nurses who will make it their first object to nurse maternity cases, the regulation under the Act limiting the pupils registered as nurses in the State maternity hospitals to half the number in all is a wise one. Without shutting out the women who will devote themselves to maternity work it would be impossible to train the many general nurses who apply. Health Department's Maternity Hospitals. The following figures give a brief resume of the work done at these institutions during the year :—

State Maternity Hospitals. St. Helens Hospital, Wellington. At this Hospital there have been no additions. The very necessary accommodation for domestic staff which would free a room very suitable for storeroom, also much required, has not yet been started. It is hoped that something will, be done this year. The Matron, Miss Inglis, after seven years of good service as Matron, and in other positions in the Department, retired on superannuation in January, and Miss Newman, Matron of Christchurch St. Helens, has taken her place. Dr. Agnes Bennett still continues in charge of the Hospital as Medical Officer. Dr. Bennett remarks in her report that the number of albumen cases is a matter for comment, but the ante-natal supervision and treatment have been most satisfactory, only one mother (emergency case admitted after ten tits), and one child (six and a half months premature, and macerated) being lost in the twelve badly toxic cases. The accommodation of this Hospital is not yet fully taxed. Possibly the lack of an anaesthetic during confinement militates against its popularity with, new patients. Old patients up to as many as nine times, return year after year and fully appreciate its advantages. St. Helens Hospital, Dunedin. In this, second-established St. Helens Hospital, no changes have taken place. The newly adapted ante-natal department has proved very useful. The medical students have had a number of cases ; the patients are now quite used to their presence. Dr. Siedeberg, Miss Holfred, and Miss Gow continue to carry on as satisfactorily as usual. The number of patients admitted has increased slightly, and there have been more outdoor cases. Dr. Siedeberg states in her report that there were nineteen premature births, three being stillborn, one died, the remainder all doing well. One baby was born with a large goitre, delaying the birth. Three babies were detained in the Hospital after the mothers were sent to the General Hospital —one for heart-disease, one Graves disease, one oldstanding dislocation of shoulder. St. Helens Hospital, Auckland. The very urgently needed new Hospital for this very busy centre has at last been completed, and has been occupied by patients since the 14th February. The formal opening is deferred until some alterations to the Nurses' Home kitchen and storerooms and laundry have been completed, and a covered way connecting the new wards with the kitchen and Home built. Until this is done the grounds are in disorder, but owing to the urgent need of the accommodation the move into the new wards was made. The staff, although working under some disadvantages, find the facilities for treatment of the patients so much improved that the move was worth while. The new wards provide for thirty-nine beds inside and two for isolation, but there is ample room for more patients if required. The veranda and balconies are excellent, and open off every ward so that patients and babies can easily be wheeled, out. The labour-room provides for two cases at a time with screen between, and every provision for asepsis is made. The sterilizing-room is alongside, and well fitted up.

Town. Births (Living Children.) ' Still-births. Deaths of Mothor. Deaths of Infants. „ , , „ I Pupil Midwives Outdoor Cases, i ' ,-,-. , qualihed. Auckland Wellington Dhristchurch . . Dunedin 370 335 281 145 137 95 107 7 18 16 6 5 4 5 1 1 1 3 5 3 2 1 3 1 250 H80 142 76 13 3 (i 16 22 13 6 7 5 fnvercargill .. 3-isborne Wanganui 6 Totals 1,470 61 3 18 570 75