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Eevenue and Expenditure. Bevemie. - £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 279 18 9 Eations ... ... ... 143 2 6 Subscriptions and donations ... 195 15 2 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 44 711 Eents... ... ... ... 200 0 0 Fuel and light ... ... ... 40 14 5 Patients' payments ... ... 49 5 6 Bedding ... ... ... 210 5 Other sources ... ... ... 152 2 8 Furniture and earthenware ... 713 9 Washing ... ... ... 13 5 0 Salaries and wages ... ... 412 14 4 Funerals ... ... ... 14 17 6 Eepairs ... ... ... 930 Printing, advertising, &c... ... 12 9 0 Interest ... ... ... 06+ 0 Insurance ... ... ... 4170 Commission ... ... ... 16 10 0 Other expenses... ... ... 2571 Total ... ... £877 2 1 Total ... ... £747 17 11 Inspection. The management of this hospital is extremely satisfactory so far as the actual working is concerned. There is, however, a chronic feud between two rival doctors in the town as to which shall be elected to the hospital. With what, seems to me very questionable wisdom the trustees have largely divested themselves of their proper responsibility in regard to this appointment, and left it to the subscribers. The consequence has been that this or that doctor has for some time past been appointed according as his canvas of the subscribers has been the more successfully conducted. The latest phase of this business is that the defeated candidate of last year has commenced an agitation to have himself, as well as his opponent, elected—to divide between them the medical charge of this hospital, with its average of from ten to twelve patients. Of course it is only a question of degree, to be decided by circumstances when the proper time has come, when every reputable practitioner in a town ought to be admitted to the benefits of hospital practice. It seems to me, however, that in this country, where there is such a lack of controlling professional opinion, it would be unwise to place two rival doctors in a small town like Oamaru in joint charge of a hospital without a resident surgeon.

NELSON HOSPITAL. Number of patients remaining, 31st March, 1888 ... ... 16 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 101 Total under treatment ... ... ... 117 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 78 Died... ... ... ... ... . . ... 17 Eemaining, 31st March, 1889 ... ... ... ... 22 Localities from which Patients came. —Nelson, Waimea, and Collingwood, 91; Inangahua, 12; Westland, 2 ; Auckland, 2 ; Dunedin, 1; Wellington, 1; shipping, 8. Sex. —73 males, 44 females. Nationality. —England, 37; New Zealand, 48; Scotland, 10; Ireland, 7; Sweden and Norway, 3 ; Eussia, 1; Italy, 1; Denmark, 1; United States, 1; others, 8. Beligion. —Church of England, 56; Boman Catholic, 14 ; Presbyterian, 6; others, 41. Total collective number of hospital days, 7,427 ; individual average stay, 63 days. Average daily cost per head, ss. 4d.; less repayments by patients, 4s. IOJd. Out-patients—individuals, 876; attendances, 4,380. Bevenue and Expenditure. Bevenue. £ s. d. I Expenditure. £ s. d. Amount received from Government 835 0 0 i Eations ... ... ... 416 8 0 From local bodies ... ... 1,006 10 0 j Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 37 7 4 Eents ... ... ... 800; Surgery and dispensary ... ... 145 15 7 Patients'payments ... ... 227 12 4 | Fuel and light ... ... ... 176 6 6 From other sources ... ... 25 0 0 j Bedding and clothing ... ... 45 10 7 Furniture and earthenware ... 32 3 6 Salaries and wages ... ... 932 4 6 ! Funerals ... ... ... 13*15 0 Bepairs ... ... ... 112 19 9 Printing, stationery, &c. -.-.. ... 11 2 0 Other expenses... ... ... 57 17 1 Total ~. . £2,102 2 4 Total ~. £1,981 910

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