5

H—3l

Capital expenditure on general hospitals is as follows :— £ 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28,640 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20,379 1906-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31,508 1907-8 .. .. .. .. .. .. 39,499 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55,837 1909-10 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52,341 1910-11 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62,237 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 70,331 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87,042 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 113,353 General. 1. Hospital and charitable-aid expenditure has increased in the ten years ending 31st March, 1914, from 6s. Id. per head of population to 10s. 9Jd. 2. But 26-8 per 1,000 of the population availed themselves of hospital treatment in 1913-14, as against 17-9 in 1904-5. 3. And the average number of occupied beds per diem rose from 1,290 to 2,234, or from 1-51 to 2-08 per 1,000 of the population. 4. The resulting capital expenditure necessitated thereby has provided 3,292 beds, as against 2,048, or 3-06 per 1,000 of the population, as against 2-40 in 1904-5. 5. Capital expenditure was £28,640 in 1904-5 and £113,353 in 1913-14. 6. In addition to the necessity for providing additional wards, many of the old wooden hospitals have had to be rebuilt. 7. The cost per occupied bed in the general hospitals during the last five years has been, — t; .. .I. 1909-10 .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 7 0 1910-11 .. .. .. .. .. .. 96 19 0 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. 106 6 0 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 6 0 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. 105 2 0 8. Patients' payments have averaged, per occupied bed, — 1909-10 .. .. ' .. .. ' .. .. 21 10 1 1910-11 .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 17 8 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 12 0 1912-13 ' .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 8 0 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 i 0 0 Jos. P. Frengley, M.D., F.R.C.5.1., D.P.H., Acting Inspector-General and Chief Health Officer.

THE NURSES REGISTRATION ACT. MIDWIVES ACT, AND PART 111 OF THE HOSPITALS AM) CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS ACT (PRIVATE HOSPITALS). REPORT BY MISS H. MACLEAN, ASSISTANT INSPECTOR. The Nurses Kegisthation Act. During the year two examinations under the Act have been held by the State in nine different centres. There were 17."> candidates, of whom 155 passed, and their names were placed on the register. Advisable as it would be to hold the oral ami practical examinations in a limited number of centres, preferably only the four chief towns, it is not practicable to do so. The long distances and length of time and expense of travelling to these centres prohibit it. Moreover, unlike students for other professions, probationer nurses are engaged in carrying on the

Year. Number of General Hospitals. Number of Bods. Proportion of Beds per 1,000 of Population. 1904-5 .. 1905-6 .. 1906-7 .. 1907-8 .. 1908-9 .. 1909-10 .. 1910-11 .. 1911-12 .. 1912-13 .. 1913-14 .. 47 52 53 53 53 . 56 57 60 63 63 2,048 2,186 2,331 2,347 2,502 2,689 2,863 3,057 3,176 3,292 2-40 2-49 2-58 2-54 2-65 2-75 2-87 3-00 3-03 306