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nothing that they recommend as necessary for the patients or attendants is ever refused when Parliament has provided the means. The new farm-buildings will soon be put in hand, and I expect them to be ready before winter. The drainage-outfall into Oakley's Creek is a nuisance to the neighbourhood, and I hope that next year we shall be in possession of such a system of sewage irrigation over the farm as shall remove this evil. Christchurch. 21st September, 1891.—1 have this day completed my half-yearly inspection of this Asylum. I examined every part of the building, and all the patients, and I am satisfied that the institution is working well in all its departments. Every visit I make impresses me more forcibly with the vigour and justice of Dr. Levinge's administration. He is unremitting in his solicitude for the welfare and comfort of his patients and attendants. The staff is capable and loyal, and the utmost harmony prevails throughout. The new Matron, Miss Tuersley, is doing her work satisfactorily. The farm and grounds are being steadily put in capital order, and the promise of the crops after the recent rains is very great. I regret, however, to find that the plaster-work of the renovated female wing, as well as of the new day-room block, is in a shameful condition already, being broken in many parts. It evidently has been very badly done. The old buildings have been put in a state of good repair, the useless parts having been removed, and the rest fitted up as a series of useful workshops. I particularly examined the dietary and the cooking and feeding arrangements, and was extremely gratified to find that the greatest care is taken to secure as great variety as possible, combined with excellence of quality, in the food provided, and rapidity in the distribution of every meal. I was particularly struck with the excellence of the attendants' table, and the care with which their comfort is provided for. I cannot, however, help remarking that the fine cooking apparatus is not kept so clean as it ought to be. The store is very well managed by Mr. Eussell and his assistant, and all the books and documents I found in first-rate order. The new stores-book I tested, and found in the case of several articles taken at random that it is a correct record of all the property in the Asylum. The stocksheets of the charge attendants are also carefully kept. The medical journal of the week ending 20th September shows that only one patient was under restraint, for reasons which I approved after examination into the circumstances. Three male patients were confined to bed, and eleven females. The number of patients who do some kind of work is 247. 154 attend divine service, and 163 were present at the usual amusements. There are only 29 patients who do not join in some form of recreation. The total number of patients to-day is 372—males, 219 ; and females, 153. The delay in fixing up the fire-prevention apparatus was owing to the impossibility of finding the money required. A sufficient sum has, however, now been voted, and I will use my utmost endeavours to secure that instant action is taken. Tenders for a new front block are to be called for immediately, so that the unsightly appearance of the front will be removed. 11th December, 1891. —After a careful examination of this Asylum in all its parts, I find its condition most satisfactory. The care that, is taken by Dr. Levinge and his staff in looking after the patients in every way deserves the heartiest acknowledgment. I assert emphatically that the statements to the contrary which have been so diligently spread abroad by certain persons who were formerly in the service are, in my opinion, without foundation. The number of patients this day is 411 —males, 223 ; females, 188. Two women were under restraint and one was secluded, for reasons of which I approved. Seven men and seven women were confined to bed under medical treatment. Four men and two women were wearing strong dresses. One hundred and forty-three men and 126 women were engaged in some kind of useful employment. The farm and garden are in first-rate order, though the grounds in front have again to be cut up and disfigured by the blocks of buildings which were omitted from the former contract. It is a pity that money could not be granted for a new laundry, so that the building operations required to complete the plan could all be finished at one time. The old laundry building is unsuitably placed, and quite inadequate for existing requirements. The completion of the fire-prevention arrangements which have been so long delayed is close at hand, and the water-connection with the river will, I hope, be established in a very short time. How long it will be before proper pipes are laid inside the older parts of the building it would be hazardous to anticipate. The asylum is working quite smoothly, and, so far as I have been able to ascertain, there is no discontent among the staff. The central block was painted before the walls were properly dry, with the result that the whole of the walls and wards are in a wretched state, and must be done over again at once. Some of the closets of the male side are very offensive; but I see no way of remedying this defect without a costly rearrangement of the whole space, and this for the present is beyond our means. Seacliff. 4th August, 1891. —I was engaged on the first and second days of August in my usual halfyearly inspection of this Asylum. I found a great deal of clamour, and, in fact, a public scare in process of being worked up by one of the public journals—l believe at the instance of some discontented attendants and friends of patients who had been compelled to pay maintenance for their relatives. The conditions of our colonial society at the present time are such as to render it peculiarly difficult to manage any large public institution ; and this is the case especially with asylums. Two of the cases of alleged harshness and tyranny have just been investigated in open Court, with the result that every one of their charges has been proved to be absolutely without foundation. So far as the actual facts are concerned, the Asylum is in a thoroughly satisfactory condition. Dr. King's rule is vigorous and just, and there has never been a Superintendent who has done so much for Seacliff. One great cause of the agitation which was got up against him is due to the great improvement he has effected, after securing my sanction, in the dietary of the institution. I have long felt that the food was far too rich in nitrogenous material for proper physiological treat-