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EIVEETON. Tins hospital was visited in December 2nd, 1884. I found four beds only occupied; all the patients being of the male sex. The Eegister shews that on October 28th, last, there were thirteen under treatment. The comtemplated additions to the buildings have not been made for want of funds. The female ward (now empty) contains four beds, but is only large enough for two. It is evident that more accomodation is necessary in this part of the Colony; but, with an accelerated train service, Invercargill Hospital might very well serve for many of those now treated at Eiverton. I found the whole establishment in good order, the bedding being particularly clean. There is an abundant stock of blankets and sheets; the latter now being used on all the beds, which was not formerly the ease, owing to the reluctance which some of the patients showed to using them. I questioned the patients as to their comfort and treatment, and obtained satisfactory replies. Dinner to-day consists of roast mutton, baked potatoes, and maizena pudding. All the four patients are proper hospital cases. The grounds are neatly kept, and the kitchen garden is well-stocked with vegetables. December 2nd, 1884.

BOSS. I have to-day inspected the hospital at Boss, where I had the advantage of meeting with the President, Mr. Malfroy, and the Medical Officer, Dr. Collins. There are three male patients now under treatment; the number is usually higher than this, and often reaches six or seven. lam glad to notice that this hospital has exhibited marked improvement since my first visit, about two years ago. It then had a most poverty-stricken and neglected appearance ; now, it is quite evident, however, that considerable interest is taken in the institution both by the Committee, the Medical Officer, and the residents of the district. Everything is changed for the better, and there is an appearance of smartness, comfort and cleanliness, which was absent on my former visit. A small Government grant, for repairs and alterations, had been very judicially expended, and made to go a very long way. The whole interior has been lined, painted and papered. The accident ward has had a large window put in, which is a matter of some importance, as the room also serves for operations. The female ward has had the partition removed which divided off a portion for a dispensary. The ward doors have been covered with baize. The kitchen is materially improved by an alteration made in the chimney. This has remedied the smoke and consequent dirt, formerly complained of. A good sink has been put up in the scullery, a small extension of the building, and a portion of the old disused dispensary^ provides two very suitable rooms for the Warder and his wife. The verandah has been re-floored and repaired. The whole exterior of the hospital is now well-painted, and in excellent repair. A good surgery has been made of a detached building, formerly used as a sitting-room by the Warder; and the mortuary and adjoining closets have been removed to a more suitable position than they formerly occupied. Finally, the premises in front and behind the hospital, have been levelled and gravelled; the whole being now enclosed with an excellent palisade fence. It still remains to re-build a portion of the Medical Officer's residence, which is absolutely unsafe from decay of the timbers. I strongly recommend an immediate grant of money for this purpose. There can be no doubt, from what I saw, that the patients are well and kindly treated here, and that the hospital is now in very good hands. December 19th, 1884.

EOTOEUA. On the 9th of August, 1884, I inspected the Sanatorium, the various buildings recently erected, the hot baths, and the land set apart for the township. The " Eefectory " contains a large room for meals, with kitchen, pantry, and scullery; above the latter are two bedrooms for servants ; in front are two ante-rooms, one of which will be used as a waiting-room, and the other as a dispensary ; above these is an office. The building has not yet been completed, the cement floor being still wanting, and the porch is unfinished. There is as yet no water supply. Eain-water tanks, either below or above ground, remain to be provided. I noticed several minor defects in the buildings, one of which is the faulty construction of the dining-room windows, which are so planned as to be incapable of being entirely closed. This matter will require alteration, as the situation is by no means a warm one at certain seasons of the year. The scullery is papered, and will soon be much disfigured unless varnished also, or provided with a wood dado. Near^'the back of this building is a two-roomed cottage, which will be useful as a store. On either side of the refectory a " hospital building" has been erected. Each contains a central sittingroom, opening into which are six small bedrooms. There is a small lobby, but no back entrance through which to carry away slops, etc., or to serve for access to the closets at the back of the buildings. There is also the want of a covered way or verandah, connecting the hospitals with the refectory, and which would be very desirable in rainy and inclement weather, in addition to forming a convenient place for convalescents to sit in. Begarding means of drainage, the sinks run at present into a bottomless concrete tank of small size. Whetherthe fluids will percolate away without fouling the springs remains to be seen by experience. I noticed several of the

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