7

H.—7

This Hospital was built when the population was larger, and the district more prosperous. I observe that the number of patients admitted this year was eighty-two, as against fifty-four last year. This is a well-designed, substantial stone building. The doctor is capable and attentive, and the nursing is good. The cost per head has been reduced considerably this year in consequence of the larger number of patieTits. lam further bound to admit that the average stay of individuals in this Hospital is the lowest but one in the colony, which shows that no slackness has been allowed in that direction.

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1890 ... ... ... 101 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 834 Total under treatment ... ... ... 935 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 753 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... 98 Remaining on 31st March, 1891 ... ... ... ... 84 Sex. —s66 males, 369 females. Localities from which Patients came. — Dunedin and suburbs, 455; South Dunedin, 59; North-east Valley, 28; St. Clair and Caversham, 51: Mosgiel and Taieri, 23 ; Milton, 18; Port Chalmers, 21 ; shipping, 24 ; Palmerston, 16 ; Merton and Blueskin, 14 ; Peninsula and Anderson's Bay, 15; Lawrence, 11; St. Kilda, 6; Green Island, 4; Balclutha, 4; Catlin's, 5; Clinton, 3; Outram, 6 ; Oamaru, 6 ; Christchurch, 3 ; Kaitangata, 3 ; Nenthorn, 2 ; Waipori, 4 ; Eoslyn, 7 ; Mornington, 10; Purakanui, 4; Shotover, 3; other districts, 130. Country. —England and Wales, 266; New Zealand, 225 ; Scotland, 193; Ireland, 139; New Hebrides, 3; Victoria, 11; South Africa, 3; United States, 6; Norway, 3; Sweden, 9; Denmark, 3; China, 19; Holland, 2 ; France, 5; Germany, 7; Tasmania, 13 ; New South Wales, 2 ; Switzerland, 1 ; New Brunswick, 1 ; Poland, 2 ; Turkey, 2 ; Jersey, 5 ; India, 1; South Australia, 2 ; St. Helena, 1 ; Cape St. Vincent, 1; Guernsey, 1; Hanover, 1; other countries, 8. Religion. —Church, of England, 316 ; Presbyterian, 285 ; Roman Catholic, 177 ; Wesleyan, 49 ; Baptist, 37 ; Congregational, 12 ; Salvationist, 11 ; Christian Brethren, 5 ; Lutheran, 5 ; Church of Christ, 3 ; Freethinkers, 3 ; Independent, 3 ; Jewish, 2 ; Buddhist, 1; Tabernacle; 1 ; Free Church, 1; Confucian, 19; other religions, 5. Total collective days' stay in hospital, 33,765 ; individual average days' stay, 36'10. Daily average cost per head, 3s. lOd.; less patients' payments, 3s. 4^d. Outdoor Patients, 1,569 ; attendances, 5,999. Revenue and Expendituke. Revenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 2,855 18 8 Rations ... ... ... 1,626 U 2 Local bodies ... ... ... 2,470 211 Wines, spirits, &c. ... ... 220 9 8 Subscriptions and donations ... 217 13 9 Surgery and dispensary ... 908 10 0 Students'fees . ... ... 110 5 0 Fuel and light ... ... 474 13 10 Sale of medicine. Dunedin Ga01... 23 17 6 j Bedding and clothing ... ... 86 8 5 Sales ... ... ... 63 13 1 i Furniture and earthenware ... 235 10 8 Patients' payments ... ... 763 9 8 Salaries and wages ... ... 2,101 9 7 Other sources ... ... 28 0 0 j Water-supply ... ... 52 0 0 Balance from last year ... 13 1 I Funerals ... ... ... 24 7 6 Repairs ... ... ... 353 19 6 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... 132 6 8 j Interest ... ... ... 260 I Insurance ... ... ... 28 1 0 Other expenses ... .:. 2261711 Total ... ...£6,537 3 8 Total ... ...£6,473 14 11 This Hospital has gone recently through such an ordeal as must have effectually brought to light any weak spots in its organization, with the result that by universal consent the administration has been excellent. The points singled out for adverse criticism were the want of accommodation for a staff of trained nurses, the structural defects of the building and its insanitary condition, the low and swampy character of the site, the necessity for new wards, and especially of wards for special cases, and of isolating wards. The report of the Commissioners, with the printed evidence, has been laid already on the table of the House, so that I may confine myself to a statement of my opinion regarding the suitability of the plans which have been proposed for what is practically a new hospital, and towards the erection of which a request has been made by the trustees for a Government grant. My objections were laid before the trustees in the following letter, to which I have nothing to add, except that the nurses' home is placed in such a position that it cuts off the sunshine from some of the back wards of the proposed extension, which, as I have said in my letter, ought in any case to be condemned for containing so many enclosed and sunless spaces, where the air must be cold and stagnant, and that it seems superfluous to build a nurses' home at all when it is proposed to retain for administrative purposes a building so immensely larger than is required for that end.