H.—22

35

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1905 ... ... 167 Admitted during the year ... ... •• • ... 1,97 ( Total under treatment ... • • • 2,144 Discharged ... .-• ••■ ••• ■•• 1, Died 17* Remaining on 31st March, 1906 ... 201 5ea;.—1,307 males, 837 females. Localities from which Patients came.— Wellington Hospital District: Wellington City, 1,437; Wellington Suburbs, 271; Petone, 113; Lower Hutt, 45; Upper Hutt, 29; 7; sundry small places in district, 41. Wairarapa Hospital District, 37 ; Inangahua Hospital District, M ; Palmerston North Hospital District, 16; Auckland Hospital District, 12 ; Wanganui Hospital District, 12; Marlborough Hospital District, 10; Taranaki Hospital District, 8; Hawke s Bay Hospital District, 5 ; North Canterbury Hospital District, 4 ; Cook Hospital District, 3 ; Waipawa Hospital District, 3; Grey Hospital District, 3; Nelson Hospital District, 2 ; South Canterbury Hospital District, 2 ; ships in port, 57 ; Sydney, 1 ; locality not stated, 6. Nationality of Patients.— Colonials (New Zealand), 1,187; Colonials (Australian), 80; English 442- Irish 172; Scotch, 100; Welsh, 40; Norwegians, 14; Swedes, 10; Italians, 10; Americans, 10; Germans, 10; Jews, 7; Syrians, 5; Maoris, 5; Danes, 4; Dutch, 3; Finlanders, 3; South Africans, 3; Canadians, 3; Greeks, 3; Prussians, 2; Chinese, 2 ; French 2; Russians 2 ■ Swiss, 2; Belgians, 2; West Indians, 2 ; East Indian, 1; Maltese, 1; Shetland Islander,'l ;' Spaniard, 1; Newfoundlander, 1; Scandinavian, 1; Roumanians, 2; Egyptian, 1; Austrian, 1 ; not stated, 9. Religion of Patients .—Church of England, 1,001; Roman Catholic, 483; Presbyterian, 311; Wesleyan, 137 ; Primitive Methodist, 41 ; Baptist, 35 ; Salvation Army, 22 ; Plymouth Brethren, 15; Lutheran, 14; Hebrew, 13 ; Church of Christ, 11 ; Congregationahst, 9; Spiritualist, 8 ; Free Church of Scotland, 2 ; Catholic Apostolic, 2 ; Greek Church, 1 ; Christadelphian, 1 ; Confucian, 1; Unitarian, 1 ; Theosophist, 1; Seventh Day Adventers, 1; Mormon, 1; religion not given, 33. Total collective days' stay in Hospital, 61,110; individual average days' stay, 28-5. Daily average cost per head, 6s. l£d.; less patients' payments, ss. 4d. Outdoor Patients. —Individual cases, 2,625 ; attendances, 11,597. . Receipts and Expenditure. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government 11,694 5 8 Rations ... ... ••■ 4,363 13 0 Local bodies 8,300 0 0 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... 179 13 10 Loan ... •■• ••• 3,500 0 0 Surgery and dispensary ... 1,970 17 7 Subscriptions and donations ... 3,451 0 0 Fuel and light 1,331 2 3 Bequest ... ... ••• 725 0 0 Bedding and clothing ... 647 12 0 Rents ... ... 2,630 711 Furniture and earthenware ... 690 610 Patients'payments 2,452 0 5 Washing and laundry ... 614 3 6 Other sources ... ... 153 4 8 Salaries and wages ... ... 6,765 5 4 Balance from last year ... 60 11 0 Water-supply 286 12 0 Funerals ... ... ... 49 2 6 Repairs ... ... ••• 815 0 4 Additions to buildings ... 5,246 9 9 Additions to lands ... ... 1,728 9 0 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... 212 18 9 Interest 855 12 7 1 Insurance ... ... ... 170 3 0 Repayment of loan ... ... 1,500 0 0 Other expenses ... ... 627 10 7 Total £32,966 9 8 Total £28,054 12 10 Of all the hospitals in our country this has made most progress during the last two years, but at a great cost to the ratepayers. The Nurses' Home, the Victoria Home, the Home for Consumptives m Wellington and at Otaki, and the proposed Hospital for Infectious Diseases will increasingly press on the rates in future years. The Wellington Hospital itself is a prosperous and well-managed institution. Dr Ewart now absent on holiday, has managed it for many years with great ability, to the high satisfaction of the public. The Trustees are, I fear, somewhat headlong in their expenditure, but there can be no question of their great care of, and interest in, the institution. The Matron, Miss Payne, has the best-instructed and the most-disciplined staff of nurses in the colony