H.—3lA,

confinement, their needs are very satisfactorily met. As in other hospitals where a married women's section has been added, the unmarried women have benefited by improvements in technique. The Committee was inclined to think that the use of sedatives had not been developed as much as in similar institutions in some of the centres. Christchurch Suburban Area. The residents of the Christchurch suburbs are served, as far as public-hospital facilities are concerned, by the two central hospitals St. Helens and Essex Home. The new St. Helens Hospital will serve in a similar but more adequate manner. Representations were made to the Committee that the position in the New Brighton Borough, which is about six miles from ChristchuTch, was unsatisfactory. The population is over five thousand, with an increase of 16-61 per cent, in the last ten years, and many of the residents have but limited means. It was urged that there was considerable hardship involved in attendance at St. Helens or Essex Home, and some local facilities were asked for. The Committee, however, is of the opinion that a public _ maternity hospital established at New Brighton would necessarily be small and the facilities which it could offer would be so inferior by comparison with those of the nearby large hospital that almost certainly a considerable number of the residents would still come to the city. In Lyttelton, a borough somewhat similarly placed which does have a maternity hospital of five beds, this tendency is already apparent. The Committee realizes the difficulties associated with frequent attendances at ante-natal clinics, and is of the opinion that they might be overcome by a system of branch clinics in the suburbs working in close co-operation with the main clinic. The provision of a car for the full-time use of the Ante-natal Sister and the extern department would assist this work. Assistance might also be given to these suburban residents for transport to hospital for confinement. Lyttelton. Although in the Christchurch urban area, Lyttelton, owing to the fact that it is separated from the city by the barrier of the hills, is situated somewhat differently from the other outlying districts. The Hospital Board has recognized this position by establishing a small hospital at Lyttelton, where there are five maternity beds. That this provision is adequate is indicated by the fact that the average number of occupied beds for the last year was 1-24. North Canterbury Rural Districts. An admirable feature of the North Canterbury Hospital Board's policy has been the provision of a large number of small country hospitals to serve the needs of the numerous small counties in its very extensive district. In all of these the maternity requirements have received first consideration. Rangiora is purely a maternity hospital; the others do varying amounts of medical and surgical work in addition. The local doctors have the right of private practice in these hospitals,_ and attend practically all patients. The fees are 12s. per day and 6s. per day waiting-time, subject to adjustment according to the circumstances. There are eleven of these hospitals maintained by the Board in the rural area of North Canterbury. Their distribution, size, and adequacy to meet the needs of their districts are shown in the following table : —

55

Number of Average Num- Number of Maternity ber Occupied Cases in Year Beds. Beds. Akaroa * »'S ?? Amuri •• •• 3 0-66 17 Cheviot : J {"OS 31 Darfield \ J * J® Kaikoura .. •• •• 5 Leeston 6 2-36 7 6 Lincoln g 0-28 11 Little River 2 0 28 Oxford . •• •• •• 3 0-80 M Rangiora 10 5-12 157 Waikari .. •• 6 0-59 18