H.—3l

6

It will be seen by the above returns that one-sixth of last year's receipts was derived from payments of persons relieved and by voluntary contributions. The general increase in payments by patients in hospitals under the control of Boards may be noted with satisfaction. Expenditure. 17. The total expenditure by Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards was £445,121, viz.,— 1911-12. ] 910-11. £ £ Hospital maintenance .. .. .. .. 213,318 187,357 Charitable aid .. .. „. .. ..91,009 88,091 Public health .. .. .. .. .. 5,468 197 Administration .. .. .. .. ..19,813 19,228 Capital expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 98,092 80,501 Other expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 17,421 16,807 £445,121 £392,181 the main increases being— £ (1.) Hospital maintenance .. .. .. .. .. .. 26,000 (2.) Capital expenditure (i.e., expenditure on new buildings, extensions, &c.) 18,000 (3.) Public health .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,000 1911-12. 1910-11. The total expenditure by separate institutions was, — £ £ Hospital maintenance .. .. .. .. 2,878 2,955 Charitable aid .. .. .. .. .. 7,814 7,808 Administration .. . . .. .. .. 779 653 Capital expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 3,052 972 Other expenditure .. .. .. . . . . 911 393 £15,434 £12,781 The expenditure on Government institutions (Te Waikato Sanatorium, St. Helens Hospitals, &c.) was, — ■ 1911-12. 1910-11. £ £ Maintenance .. .. .. .. .. 9,600 10,379 Administration .. .. .. .. .. 537 565 Capital expenditure .. .. .. .. ..11,702 Other expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 251 478 £22,090 £11,422 There was also expended by the Department on other means of medical and nursing relief a sum of £4,177, viz.,— £ (1.) Subsidies to medical men in backblocks .. .. .. .. 1,359 (2.) Medical and nursing attendance on Maoris .. .. .. 2,818 Apart, therefore, from the expenditure by private charitable organizations, the total expenditure by the Boards and the Department on relief of the sick and needy was £486,822. Hospital Expenditure. 18. The total expenditure on account of hospitals for the last four years was, — £ 1908-9 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..247,123 1909-10 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 262,241 1910-11 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 287,803 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 329,513 Further examination shows that the moneys that have been expended on hospitals during the four years may be divided as follows : —

By " capital expenditure" is meant the sum devoted to new hospitals and extension of existing ones.

Maintenance. Administration. Capital. : Miscellaneous. Total. .908-9 .909-10 910-11 911-12 £ 175,098 187.922 199,573 225,796 9,146 10,406 11,586 13,255 £ 57,935 59.213 70,814 84,798 £ 57,935 59.213 70,814 84,798 £ 4,944 4.699 5,830 5.663 £ 4,944 4.699 5,830 5.663 £ 247,12 262,24 287,80 329,51 £ 247,123 262,241 287,803 329,513