H.—7.

complex, and the most potent factor is the individual. Hereunder the assigned causations in the table referred to are grouped and shown in their relative proportions :— Males. "Females. Total. Heredity.. .. .. .. .. .. 15-02 13-21 14-18 Congenital .. .. . . .. .. 12-25 7-97 10-26 Predisposed by previous attack .. .. ~ 10-47 18-22 14-18 Critical periods .. . . . . .. .. 18-77 28-92 23-49 Child-bearing (puerperal, non-septic, and lactation) .. .. 5-01 2-32 Mental stress . . .. .. .. .. 8-69 11-61 10-05 Physiological defect and error .. .. .. 4-54 4-55 4-55 Toxic, including — M. f. t. W*? • • I'}} V'ofi 15-21 3-19 9-63 Alcohol .. 7-11 1-36 4-44J Traumatic .. .. .. .. . . 0-98 .. 0-52 Disorder of nervous system, including — m. f. t. Epilepsy " .. 5-13 3-64 4-44 7-31 5-01 6-24 Other bodily affections .. .. .. .. 2-02 0-49 0-77 No definite cause assigned .. .. .. .. 4-74 1-82 3-81 100-00 100-00 100-00

Voluntary Boarders.

It will be noted that there were 171 voluntary admissions in the year under review, that 120 were discharged, and that 21 boarders, representing 6-56 per cent, of the total under care, had to be transferred to the register of patients (having shown mental disorder in degree sufficiently pronounced and sustained to render it improper for them to be continued as voluntary boarders), while the proportion of deaths on average number resident was 5-92 per cent. The column devoted to " Not First Admissions " records readmissions on a return of illness in those previously treated to recovery as voluntary boarders. The figures above are an indication of public confidence and of good work being done. The average daily number of voluntary boarders in 1926 was 152 (m. 61, f. 91). MENTAL NURSES. In December the usual examination was held for the registration of mental nurses, when the following passed : — Auckland: First Grade —Edward Barraclough, Douglas Henry Kirkland, Oliver Nicklinson, Margaret Reid ; Second Grade —William Wallace Adams, Robina Blair, Daisy Ethel Parker, Henry Edmund Shaw. Tokanui: First Grade—Paul Helwig ; Second Grade —Robert Bourke, Edward Croasdale, Alastair Henry Kinghorn. Porirua : Second Grade —Arthur Barstow, James Brown, Stanley Bertram Brown, Andrew Gibb, Carl Otto Hasse, Elsie Storeys Hodgens, Harold Jarvis, Peter Andrew Lambert, Frederick John Oliver, Alexander Smith, Annie Cullen Wardrop, Julia Wallace. Nelson : Second Grade —Gladys Lilian Allport, Olive Hannah Bell, Naomi Mary Brown, Ida Emily Eyles, William Gourlay Gorman. Hokitika : First Grade—Wreford Jack Carter, William Henderson, Mary Jane Rosevear ; Second Grade —Imelda Agnes Mary Martini, Ernest Edward Oliver. Christchurch : First Grade —George Bell Browning, James Callaghan, Ngaio Madeline Carter, Alexander Park Craig, Victor Hugh Drain, Myrtle Evelyn Ferguson, Florence Isabel Hodges, Arthur Sylvester Preston, Bessie Watson, John Edward Willis; Second Grade — Charles Edward Davies, John William Hartley, Thomas Arthur Turnbull, William Welton. Seacliff : First Grade —Doris Alice Guild, Clorine Gladys Smith, Mary Isabella Westwood; Second Grade — Henry Dickson, Annie Hyde, Olga Law, Arthur Little, Williamena Frances Lobb, Malcolm McDougall, Bridgie O'Connor, William Simmons, James Hyslop Wilson.

15

-first 1 Tint, First ! Total Transferred I Eemaining Admission, j Admission. , Admissions. Eegjer Died. Discharged. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. J?. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. 1912 .. .. 6 17 23 0 0 0 6 17 23 1 3 4 0 0 0 4 3 7 1 11 12 1913 .. .. 18 19 37 0 2 2 18 21 39 2 5 7 0 1 1 12 12 24 5 14 19 1914 .. .. 17 19 36 3 2 5 20 21 41 7 5 12 1 1 2 11 15 26 6 14 20 1915 .. .. 15 17 32 1 2 3 16 19 35 3 4 7 0 1 1 8 14 22 11 14 25 1916 .. .. 13 23 36 5 8 13 18 31 49 4 4 8 1 2 3 14 14 28 10 15 25 1917 .. .. ; 14 21 35 1 13 14 15 34 49 6 6 12 0 1 1 10 23 33 9 19 28 1918 .. .. . 23 38 61 5 11 16 28 49 77 I 4 5 2 2 4 15 30 45 19 32 51 1919 .. .. 31 39 70 5 19 24 36 58 94 3 3 6 0 2 2 26 42 68 26 43 69 1920 . . .. 26 38 64 16 12 28 42 50 92 3 4 7 1 2 3 33 33 66 31 54 85 1921 .. .. 39 39 78 11 15 26 50 54 104 2 3 5 5 1 6 38 41 79 36 63 99 1922 .. .. 47 38 85 10 16 26 57 54 111 6 5 11 4 4 8: 40 48 88 43 60 103 1923 .. .. 44 50 94 15 21 36 59 71 130 3 6 9 3 3 6 47 47 94 49 75 124 1924 .. .. j 38 44 82 16 20 36 54 64 118 4 8 12 6 3 9 39 48 87 54 80 134 1925 .. .. 64 59 123 15 34 49 79 93 172 10 15 25 6 3 9 60 63 123 57 92 149 1926 .. .. j 71 60 131 11 29 40 82 89 171 10 11 21 7 2 9 ' 49 71 120 73 97 170