11

H.—7

This year the number treated in this Hospital was all but double that in the previous year, being forty-seven, as against twenty-four last year. The doctor continues very attentive to his patients. Everything is clean, and an air of homely comfort pervades the place. I think a greater sum ought to be recovered from patients for their maintenance.

HOKITIKA HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1890 ... ... ... 22 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 185 Total under treatment ... ... ... 207 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 160 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... 18 Eemaining on 31st March, 1891 ... ... ... ... 29 8ex. — 177 males, 30 females. Locality from which Patients came. —Westland. Nationality.— English, 53; Scotch, 30 ; Irish, 30; Colonials, 47 ; Welsh, 5; Continental, 39 ; Chinese, 3. Beligion. —Church of England, 60; Eoman Catholic, 58; Presbyterian, 57 ; Wesleyan, 18 ; others, 14. Total collective days' stay in hospital, 11,135; individual average days' stay, 53-79. Daily average cost per head, 3s. 9Jd.; less patients' payments, 3s. 7Jd. Outdoor Patients. —lndividual cases, 270 ; attendances, 581. Bevenue and Expenditure. Bevenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 1,005 16 4 j Eations ... ... ... 467 16 0 Local bodies ... ... ... 506 18 4'■ Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... 53 5 0 Subscriptions and donations ... 410 8 61 Surgery and dispensary ... 181 17 9 Patients' payments ... ... 87 9 0 Fuel and light ... ... 100 5 6 Other sources ... ... 18 12 6 ] Bedding and clothing ... ... 26 9 6 Balance from last year ... 29 0 9 ; Furniture, crockery, &c. ... 10 12 0 | Washing and laundry ... ... 28 0 0 Salaries and wages ... ... 1,072 10 5 Funerals ... ... ... 20 0 0 Bepairs ... ... ... 27 16 3 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 27 8 0 j Interest ... ... ... 217 0 | Insurance ... ... ... 27 15 0 Commission ... ... ... 520 Other expenses ... ... 46 3 10 Total ... ... £2,058 5 5 Total ... ... £2,097 18 3 Like Greymouth Hospital, this is largely a refuge for old and infirm miners. Of the twentyseven patients in residence on the date of my visit ten were kept over a year, and seven of the ten over two years. Thirteen patients were more than six months in the Hospital; the remaining four may be taken as hospital cases proper. The staff-cost thought necessary to carry on this refuge hospital is out of all proportion to the number of patients treated, or the amount of attention they require. If we take Napier Hospital for purposes of comparison we see that the number of patients treated there was 390, as against 207 in Hokitika, while the total cost of Napier was £2,052, and of Hokitika £2,097. In Napier salaries and wages came to £773 45., while in Hokifcika they amounted to £1,072 10s. 5d., and the total work done must have been at least twice as much in the former. There is no necessity for a dispenser at Hokitika, nor for the gardener, who gets £100. The same man might perform the duties of clerk both to the Charitable Aid Board and the Hospital Trustees; or, rather, the County Clerk might do the whole, thus saving a large sum which is now wasted. There is no necessity in a hospital of this size of compelling the doctor to visit every morning and afternoon, except to see unusual cases. The sum received for patients' maintenance ought to be largely increased, and the local committees ought to be compelled to pay much more than they do now. Unless these reforms are carried out, it will be impossible to keep this Hospital going much longer. The doctor is skilful and attentive, and the institution, barring its expensiveness, is well looked after and in good order.