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conducted, and with the most satisfactory results. I shall, however, have a better opportunity of fully appreciating these at my next inspection. I have formed a highly favourable opinion of the staff and its organization, and I must here express my thanks for the care and ability with which Head Attendant Wood, under Dr. Levinge's instructions, transferred the whole of the inmates of the Napier Asylum to Wellington. I have examined the books required by the Act, and found them all properly kept. I was surprised, however, to find that there was no proper record kept of the receipt and issue of provisions. No doubt, the system of weekly supplies introduced has answered well, as the Auditor reports, notwithstanding this neglect, and as the result shows, there has been no waste or extravagance ; but under such a system we must assume an honest management, for we should have little or no check upon a rogue. Eof the future both a provision-book and a general stores ledger must be kept. Divine service is held every week, and there is a fortnightly dance for the amusement of the patients. As regards the general aspect of the institution nothing could be more pleasing than the effect of the chronic and infirmary wards, both on the male and female side, by means of pictures and ornamental brackets, crowned at this season with pots of exquisitely beautiful primulas of various colours, and here and there a tub of ornamental plants, which render the hall and day-rooms very attractive. The improvements in progress and already completed both in the building itself and its surroundings are unmistakable proof that Dr. Levinge takes a great interest in his work, and has the faculty of producing surprising results with very little outlay. He has transformed a miserable, melancholy, ill-paved court on the female side into a little garden, and he is doing the same with a similar court on the male side. He has for the first time properly drained the surfacewater from the back of the buildings, which formerly was left to percolate under the floors, rot the timber, and chill the patients. He has skilfully lighted up dark passages, and transformed cold and draughty verandahs into conservatories. To the left of the entrance-walk a huge, unsightly claybank has just been covered with turf, and the steep face of it will soon be covered with ivy. I regret that I was not able to complete my inspection of this asylum before the year's estimates v/ere made up, for I am so impressed with the admirable way in which it is managed that I should have felt cohrpelled to recommend that some acknowledgment should be made of Dr. Levinge's devotion and energy. The salary of £400 which he receives is not a sufficient remuneration for such services, especially when it is considered that the number of patients is considerably increased in consequence of the abolition of the Napier Asylum. I have to recommend, therefore, if it can yet be done, that the Colonial Secretary, by means of bonus or increase of salary, make his remuneration £500 per annum. The new asylum at Porirua will soon relieve the overcrowding of this institution. Auckland. 28th April, 1886.—1 have been engaged in my first inspection of the Auckland Asylum on the 20th, 21st, 22nd, and. 27th April. The general impression left on my mind is that the building of the main asylum is badly planned in two most important respects. Firstly, it is badly lighted (the windows being too small), this giving the whole a gloomy and depressing effect. Secondly, the arrangement of the closets, &c, with the required drainage is very bad, especially in No. 2 female ward, where the state of things is absolutely alarming. When, in addition to this, it is considered that the whole building is greatly overcrowded, that day-rooms nave to be used as dormitories, and that on wet days almost every available space is filled with excitable patients, many of them unavoidably damp and uncomfortable, it is clear that some remedy must be found at once for a state of things which has become intolerable. The actual accommodation, as ascertained by measurements made by Dr. Young, is found to be as follows: Actual dormitory space—On the male side : Ward No. 1, 329 cubic feet per patient; Ward No. 2 (the hospital ward, the day-room also used for dining-room), 325 cubic feet; Ward No. 3 (refractory ward and day-room, used as dining-room), 251-5 cubic feet per patient; Ward No. 4, 218-7 cubic feet per patient ; Ward No. 5, 551-4 cubic feet per patient. On the female side: Ward No. 1, 389-73 cubic feet per patient; Ward No. 2, 463 cubic feet per patient; Ward No. 3, 380 cubic feet per patient. Twenty years ago the Commissioners in Lunacy for England and Wales laid down the following standard: " The separate sleeping-rooms should be of not less than the following dimensions : 9ft. by 7ft. and lift, high, and the associated dormitories should not contain less than 50 superficial feet and lift, high to each patient." The juxtaposition of these two sets of figures speaks for itself. With regard to No. 3 Ward oh the female side so much rhetoric has been already expended on it that I content myself with hoping and recommending that it be speedily demolished. Looking at the great difficulty of managing such an asylum, I am of opinion that great credit is due to Dr. Young and his staff that the condition of affairs is not worse than it actually is. I have called Dr. Young's attention to certain defects, which are remediable at once, and I feel confident they will have been rectified before my next visit. I find the food is abundant and of good quality, but the cooking has been indifferent, and I hope in future to see a greater variety in the diet. Wearing apparel and bedding are sufficient, though the quality of the clothing as well as of the boots has been so markedly inferior that notice has already been given to determine the contracts. The investigation which at Dr. Young's instance has recently been made into the whole management of the stores department by Mr. Stevenson, an officer of the Audit Office, has revealed such an amount of incapacity and carelessness on the part of the clerk and storekeeper that I have felt it my duty to telegraph to the Colonial Secretary for authority to dismiss him at once. lam confident that this step will greatly reduce the difficulty of Dr. Young's otherwise sufficiently arduous and anxious duties. Considering the circumstances, I found a remarkable absence of noise and excite ■