H.—7

3

on leave, and those resident at a given date, together with the, accommodation available and the number of wards into which it is divided.

These figures show an all-round shortage of accommodation for 171 men and 71 women. The ratio of excess means that in each group of 16 to 17 men there is one too many, and in each group of about 30 to 31 women there is one too many. It is not this odd one only who is incommoded, but the whole group more or less. However, were the odd ones alone affected the position could not bo for the law hands the patient against his will to us to be provided for, and he and his' relatives have a right to expect adequate housing. But, as I have previously indicated, bare sufficiency of accommodation is not enough ; there should be about 5 per cent, of excess of accommodation for classification, as from time to time the numbers of any one class of case vary considerably, and at the present time some of the wards have an excess of accommodation because of the shortage of patients suitabie for the, particular ward, which, of course, means that matters are so much the worse for those in some other ward. It is a great satisfaction to me, therefore, and to my officers that, recognizing this fact, you have helped to push forward a building programme of which the present position is as follows : —

Lf these works are completed in average time the resident population may bo expected to increase. in the interval by 112 (m., 58 ; f., 54), in which case there will be an excess of accommodation for 77 (m., 76 ; £~ 1). This will leave the position satisfactory in Auckland, Sunnyside, and Porirua. At Seacliff modernizing work now being carried out by the, artisan staff will continue ; but the main additions next taken in hand will be at Waitati ; Hokitika by being able to pull down the condemned buildings will have wiped out its reproach ; Nelson will have gone a further step in adapting the Mental Hospital for mental deficients, and with the " closed " villa at Stoke will be able to transfer thither Nelson patients who cannot be trusted in the " open door " sections. Concurrently the erection of villas will be necessary for women patients to be transferred from Nelson —the site for these

Patients on Register on.29th March, 1924, as classified. Mental Hospital. i ni Qaa tt I I m « v Class I, I (ft : Class III, Class IV, V, | 01a8s VI> Unsound Mind. | infirm rdiots. Imbeciles. minded Epileptics. M. r. M. 1'. M. J. M. 1'. M. F. M. F. Auckland .. . . .. 296 254 150 53 116 107 66 7 30 63 38 Cliristchurch .. .. .. 218 318 34 31 7 7 36 46 22 9 41 46 Dunedin (Seaolifi and Waitati) .. 436 32!) 41 39 13 5 51 26 40 37 55 44 Hokitika .. .. .. 129 42 34 13 2 2 4 2 1 8 3 Nelson (and Stoke) .. .. 37 43 87 44 .. I 58 17 5 5 28 7 Porirua .. .. .. 545 381 9 12 3 7 22 37 17 11 54 52 Tokanui .. .. .. 74 51 42 28 .... 29 17 16 I 5 3 Totals .. .. .. 1,735 1,418 406 220 34 28 305 213 109 94 254 193

inmates resident on 20th March, 1924. ou 1924. Mental Hospital. Less Absent Voluntary Total Number nf Bedrooms and ou Patients. Resident In Dormitories Probation. Boarders. Inst itution. Wards ' for ! ■ I M. F. M. r. M. P. M. If. M. F. M. 1'. Auckland .. .. .. 9 13 634 434. 5 11 639 445 9 9 629 480 Christchuroh .. . . . . 9 14 349 443 8 17 357 460 7 7 385 448 Dunedin (Seacliff and Waitati) .. 6 4 630 476 17 11 647 487 11 8 528 456 Hokitika .. . . .. 3 5 172 60 .. .. 172 60 4 3 156 88 Nelson (and Stoke) . . .. 1 1 214 116 3 2 217 118 4 4 213 119 Porirua .. .. .. 16 25 634 475 15 20 649 495 8 7 590 403 Tokanui .. .. .. 3 2 163 98 .. 2 163 100 3 2 172 100 Totals .. .. .. 47 64 2,796 2,102 48 63 2,844 2,165 46 40 2,673 2,094

Male. Female. Total. Auckland —- Proposod separate modern hospital ward, leaving present infirmary for senile, &o. Christchuzch — Staff quarters, emptying single rooms for patients, in course of construction Proposed farm buildings at Templeton Porirua — Tenders called for iive villas, each accommodating thirty-four Hokitika — Nearing completion, administration block, with admission wards and hospital Tenders called for " closed " villa .. Nelson — Tenders called for " closed " villa at Stoke Tokanui — Tenders let for admission ward 40 24 28 102 68 40 24 28 170 31 38 31 02 38 42 42 n 27 27 305 126 431