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H.—22

The Inspector-General of Hospitals and Charitable Institutions to the Hon. the Minister in Charge of Hospitals and Charitable Aid Department. Sib,— Wellington, 14th September, 1910. I have the honour to lay before you the following report on hospitals and charitable aid for the year ending 31st March, 1910. On the whole the past year has been a satisfactory one. Hospital expenditure has only increased by £837. For this can be shown the upkeep of three new hospitals, and an average increase in the number of patients under daily treatment. The cost of charitable aid has increased only by £15, and there has beeen a reduction in the total cost of institutional management, though the daily average number of inmates accommodated has increased. The new Act is working well, and there is every reason for believing that it is an improvement on the old law. The personnel of the new Boards is good, and the members are disposed to work harmoniously with the Department. Hospitals. £ Total expenditure on general hospitals, 1908-9 ... ... ... 236,803 1909-10 ... ... ... 237,640 Increase ... ... ... ... ... ... £837 As hospital expenditure during the past ten years has advanced at an average rate of £12,000 per year, the increase in expenditure this year of £837 may be regarded as fairly satisfactory, especially as the returns of three new hospitals are shown, and 1,455 more patients were under treatment than was the case last year. Receipts. —Table II shows the receipts, which in respect of general hospitals amounted to £276,805, made up as follows .— 1908-9. 1909-10. £ £ From Consolidated Fund ... ... ... 100,255 89,007 „ rates ... ... ... ... ... 73,714 82,094 ~ voluntary contributions, &c. ... ... 15,916 13,367 ~ bequesfs ... ... ... ... ... 1,194 7,466 ~ patients' payments ... ... ... 28,397 34,574 Balance from last year ... ... ... .... 18,621 32,836 From other sources ... ... ... ... 28,305 17,459 £266,402 £276,805 Roughly, one-third of our hospital receipts are derived from the rates, one-third from the Consolidated Fund, and one-third from voluntary contributions, patients' payments, and other sources of revenue. The increase of £6,177 in patients' payments is satisfactory, but we may reasonably look for a considerable increase under this item, which now only amounts to about one-seventh of the total expenditure. There is a falling-off of £2,549 in subscriptions and donations, but the total voluntary contributions (£20,833), including bequests, show an increase over the previous year of £3,723. It will be noted that the Board started the year with a large balance in hand (£32,836), but the miscellaneous receipts which came under the heading "Receipts from other sources" are less by £12,412, possibly owing to a better system of compiling accounts. The cost to the taxpayer, as represented by the total contributions from the Government and the local authorities, is less by £2,868 than the previous year. Expenditure.- —The small increase in the general expenditure has already been referred to. Three newly opened hospitals have furnished returns. 1,455 more patients were under treatment than during the previous year, the average number of beds in daily occupation being 1,709, as against 1,566 in 1908-9. Cost per Occupied Bed. _. 1908-0. 1909-10. The cost per occupied bed is lower by nearly £7, viz. :— £ s. d. £ s. d. Provisions ... ... ... ... 27 2 7 23 14 7 Surgery and dispensary ... ... ... 10 16 7 9 16 8 Domestic and establishment ... ... ... 26 3 2 25 17 10 Salaries ... ... ... ... ... 42 17 9 40 17 11 TotaJ ~',' ~, ... .... 4107 Q 1 £100 7 0