H.—3.

Country. —England, 248; Ireland, 101; Scotland, 52; New Zealand, 156 ; America, 8; xVustralia, 2; Foreigners (not British, or Colonial, or American), 25. Bcligion. —Church of England, 288; Presbyterian, 98; Eoman Catholic, 90; Wesleyan, 56; Methodists, 56 (Wesleyan Methodists, 112 ?) ; Freethinkers, 4. Total collective days' stay in hospital, 24,258; individual average stay, 37-43 (?) Average cost per head per day, ss. lljd.; less patients' payments, ss. 6-|d. Out-patients.— lndividual cases, 353 ; attendances, 1,314. Eevenue and Expenditure. Bevenue. £ s. dj Expenditure. & s. d. Local bodies ... ... 3,607 10 6 Eations ... ... ... 1,124 16 10 From Government ... ... 3,874 15 6 Wines, spirits, ale, and porter ... 214 3 5 Subscriptions and donations ... 34 3 0 Surgery and dispensary ... 326 10* 4 Patients'payments ... ... 495 8 10 Fuel and light ... ... 461 5 6 From other sources ... ... 34 2 9 Bedding and clothing ... ... 159 9 0 Furniture and earthenware ... 313 10 2 Washing and laundry ... Salaries and wages ... ... 2,216 7_ 4 Water-supply Funerals ... ... ... 20 1 0 Eepairs ... ... ... 299 0 9 Printing, advertising, and stationery ... ... ... 43 3 5 I Interest ... ..: ... 39180 Insurance ... ... . . 54 7 6 I Commission ... j Other expenses not mentioned ... *1, 929 10 3 Total £8,046 0 7 Total £7,402 3 6 Inspection. I inspected this hospital on the Bth February, 1889, for the third time during the year. I found all parts of the premises in a state of perfect order and cleanliness. The nursing system, which is one of the most essential features of hospital-management, is well organized. There is a noticeable improvement in the discipline since my last report. I made careful inquiry of the patients, without any nurse or other officer being present, but heard no complaints. The honorary staff are regular in their attendance and attentive to their patients. I was present on several occasions during the dinner-hour, and I found the food abundant, good in quality, and well cooked, while reasonable dispatch was used in the distribution. The bedding is good and clean, and the sheets are changed once a week. The repairs and improvements of the old buildings are now completed, and there is, besides a suitable Board-room, abundant accommodation for the steward's office and stores. The kitchen is larga and amply supplied with all the necessary apparatus and adjuncts, such as scullery, pantry, &c. An attempt was being made when I was there to reconstruct the drying-closet, which I hope may at length be successful. A fine new boiler is being erected, of 14-horse-power, to supersede the separate ward boilers; a great saving, both of fuel and superintendence, should result. The patients register, I found, contained no entries from the beginning of May till the end of the year. I cannot understand why such neglect on the part of the dispenser, who was responsible, was'tolerated. Since the beginning of this year the secretary has had charge of this book, and it is entered up to date. I found twenty patients who had been ofl the books three months and over. The grounds surrounding the hospital are admirably kept, and they form an invaluable exerciseground for convalescent patients. The fever hospital and the mortuary are the best designed and finished buildings of the kind in the colony ; but I am afraid that here, as elsewhere in the colony, fever cases are treated in the wards, because of the cost of a separate staff for the fever hospital, and the increase of labour all round.

COEOMANDEL HOSPITAL. Number of patients, 31st March, 1888 ... ... ... 2 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 28 Total under treatment ... ... ... 30 Discharged ... ... •■••• • • ■ ■ ... 24 Died ... ... ... ... ... •■■ ••• 3 Eemaining, 31st March, 1889 ... ... ... ... 3 Locality from which Patients came. —Coromandel Peninsula. Sex. —3o males. Nationality. —English, 7; Irish, 10; Scotch, 4; Colonial, 7; Maori, 2. Total collective days' stay? 1,292; individual average stay, 43 days. Daily average cost per head, 15s. 6d. (nearly); less patients' payments, 14s. Bfd.

* This item includes hardware, £34 os. Bd. ; legal expenses, £136 Is. Bd. ; incidental expenses, £137 10s. 10d.; members' travelling-expenses, £4 9s. id. ; patients in other hospitals, £4 13s. 2d. ; overdraft, £462 os. 4d.; casual ward, Lyttelton, £51 6s. Bd.; buildings, £1,077 12s. lid. ; architect, £21 14s. Bd.: total, £1,929 10s. 3d.

2—H. 3.

9