H.—7

1899. NEW ZEALAND.

LUNATIC ASYLUMS OF THE COLONY (REPORT ON) FOR 1898.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. The Inspector of Asylums to the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sir,— sth May, 1899. I have the honour to lay before you the following report on the lunatic asylums of the colony for the year ended 31st December, 1898: — The number of registered insane persons on the 31st December, 1898, was 2,480 —Males, 1,472 ; females, 1,008. The insane of the colony are distributed as follows : — Males. Females. Total. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 275 163 438 Christchurch ... ... ... ... ... 282 . 241 523 Dunedin (Seacliff) ... ... ... ... 385 251 636 Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... 87 38 125 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... 82 54 136 Porirua ... ... ... ... ... 199 142 341 Wellington ... . . ... ... ... 141 97 238 Ashburn Hall (private asylum) ... ... ... 21 22 43 1,472 1,008 2,480 The proportion of the male insane to the male population is,— New Zealand (exclusive of Maoris) ... ... 3-75 per 1,000, or lin 265 New Zealand (inclusive of Maoris) ... ... 355 „ lin 281 The proportion of the female insane to the female population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 2-87 „ lin 349 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 2-73 „ lin 367 The proportion of the total insane to the total population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3-34 „ lin 300 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3-17 „ lin 316 Admissions. On the Ist January, 1898, the number of insane persons in our asylums was—Males, 1,436; females, 990 : total, 2,426. The number of those admitted during the year for the first time—22l males, 170 females : total, 391. The readmissions (including 101 males and 46 females transferred) were 134 males, 88 females: total, 222. Deaths. The percentage of deaths on the average number resident during the year was 6-14, as compared with 6-28 for the previous year. Recoveries. The percentage of recoveries on the admissions was 48-07, as compared with 3669 for the year 1897. I—H. 7.