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The Rockefeller Foundation most generously granted a travelling fellowship to the Director, Division of Nursing, in 1937 to visit the United States of America, Canada, Great Britain, and northern Europe ; and, again, last year a study fellowship to Miss F. J. Cameron to attend a post-graduate course in Medical Social work at Toronto University, the intention being that on Miss Cameron's return to New Zealand the post-graduate school will include a course in this subject. The new year again brought changes. The Department of Health, which lor over thirty years had been housed in the old parliamentary buildings, was moved to the new Social Security Building, a building erected to house the staff necessary to put into operation the new social security legislation which introduces a national health service to the country on a contributory basis, as well as a national superannuation scheme —and so a new era again opens. REPORT FOR THE YEAR. The public health nursing staff was increased, by one-third, and a reorganization of the work in the cities was introduced. The educational work was increased by the appointment of a necessary officer to carry out refresher work amongst obstetric nurses, while detailed studies were made in regard to various aspects of nursing technique. The Preliminary State Examination for Nurses was inaugurated. The record systems in regard to the establishment of a family record system and the nurses' daily records were revised. A new scheme for the training of nursing aids was outlined and approved and is now in preparation for the necessary legislation to enable it to be inaugurated. Many conferences were held with the Education Department, New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association, the Women's Section of the Centennial Exhibition, and other bodies concerning matters which affected the nursing profession. In addition, the routine work of the Division covering the inspection and supervision of the nursing staffs of the public hospitals and the Department has been carried out, and during the year with the exception of one small area —all training-schools and sanatoria and many other institutions were visited. These developments have of necessity caused many changes in the personnel of our various institutions and health districts, and, in addition two of the senior members of the Division retired — Miss A. Buckley, Nurse Inspector at Christchurch, and Miss E. Hodges, Matron of Queen Ma,ry Hospital —both of whom were nurses who have given many years of faithful and distinguished service to the Department. Miss V. Oppenheim was transferred from Auckland St. Helens Hospital to Head Office ; Miss A. Joyce was appointed Matron of St. Helens Hospital, Auckland ; Miss M. Boyco, Matron of St. Helens Hospital, Wellington ; Miss E. M. Sparkes, Matron, St. Helens Hospital, Christchurch ; and Miss R. Paterson Matron, St. Helens Hospital, Invercargill. Amongst the Nurse Inspectors Miss H. Comrie was transferred to Wellington, Miss A. Knight to Christchurch, and Miss M. Beswick to Palmerston North, while Miss A. Jewiss, Miss R. Cameron, Miss M. Burgess, and Miss 11. Scott were added to the staff. This year the Rockefeller Foundation granted a scholarship to Miss Flora Cameron —formerly district nurse at Wanganui —to proceed to Toronto University for a year's study in medical social welfare and public-health nursing. At the conclusion of her period of study in Canada Miss Cameron will visit centres in the United States of America and Great Britain before returning to New Zealand at the end of the year, when she will be attached to the teaching staff of the post-graduate course. The Registers. During this year the registers were again cleared by sending all registered nurses, midwives, and maternity nurses a registered letter asking if they wished their -names to be retained in the active register. The following table shows the present position and the position as it was when the register was cleared in May, 1937. The decrease in the number of nurses appearing in the active register is considerable and is largely due to marriage, emigration overseas, and a certain number of retirements. Probably the decrease is not as considerable as shown, as a group of nurses fail cither to return the form sent to them or to notify that they are continuing their practice. Over five hundred registered letters were returned marked " Gone —No address." January, 1939. May, 1937. General trained nurses on active list .. .. .. 3,101 4,250 General trained nurses on non-active list (mostly married, retired, or permanently overseas) .. .. .. 1,419 928 Midwives on active list .. .. .. .. .. 1,217 1,707 Midwives on non-active list . . .. .. . . 519 387 Maternity nurses on active list .. .. .. ..1,124 1,423 Maternity nurses on non-active list .. .. .. 355 191 Of the " active " nurses appearing on the register, as far as is known to this office, the position is as follows :— Public hospitals which are training-schools .. . . .. .. 725 Public hospitals which are not training-schools .. . . . . . . 222 Obstetrical hospitals (public) training-schools and non-training-schools, registered nurses . . .. .. .. . ■ • • • • 198 Private hospitals, general only .. .. .. .. ■ • • • 520 Tropical Nursing Service . . .. .. .. .. 24 Private nursing : Attached to Bureaux . . . . . . .. 378 Private nursing : Not attached to Bureaux (approximately) .. .. 300 Public Health Services .. .. • • ■ • ■ • ■ • 320 Overseas (approximately) .. .. .. .. •. . • 400

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