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H.—3l

Hospitals and Charitable Aid. .11 Receipts. The total amount received by Boards, separate institutions, and Government institutions for the past year on account of hospitals, charitable aid, and public health was £628,831, a decrease of £31,633 on the previous year, the receipts for the past four years being— £ 1911-12 .. .. 556,108 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 583,673 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 660,464 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 628,831 The receipts from the principal sources of revenue were as follows :— Government contributions— 1911-12 .. .. 189,011 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 200,256 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 219,520 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 217,152 Levies on local authorities— 1911-12 .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 149,203 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 166,281 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 175,120 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 189,886 Voluntary contributions— 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31,656 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,930 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49,856 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,227 Payments by persons relieved— 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. ~ .. 64,138 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77,369 1913-14.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84,026 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89,592 Voluntary contributions, though fluctuating considerably, show, in relation to the total expenditure, a downward tendency. In 1913-14, the amount was swelled substantially by the gift of £15,000 from Mr. Cawthron, of Nelson. Payments by persons relieved last year exhibit an increase of £5,566 over those for the previous year, payments by hospital patients almost wholly accounting for the increase.

Expenditure. The total expenditure of Boards, separate institutions, Government institutions, and grants in aid amounted to £592,008. The total expenditure of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boardsjjwas £548,868, and compared in detail with that of 1913-14 as follows:— 1913-14. 1914-15. £ £ Hospital maintenance* .. .. .. .. 249,911 268,695 Charitable aid .. .. .. .. .. 94,735 102,576 Public health .. .. 11,867 10,734 Administration .. .. .. .. .. 21,323 22,862 Capital expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 140,840 115,279 Other expenditure .. .. .. .. ..31,153 28,722 £549,830 £548,868 * Includes expenditure on pathologioal, dental, and tuberculosis out-patients departments. The total expenditure by separate institutions was, — 1913-14. 1914-15. £ £ Hospital maintenance .. .. .. .. 3,181 2,983 Charitable aid .. .. .. .. .. 8,315 8,918 Administration .. .. .. .. .. 951 902 Capital expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 1,637 2,464 Other expenditure .. .. . . .. .. 1,452 732 £15,536 £15,999

911-12 912-13 913-14 914-15 Year. Paymonts by Hospital | Payments by Inmates of Patients. i Charitable Institutions. | £ £ 47,338 16,698 56,255 20,888 62,680 20,987 69,404 20,188 * Inoludes also district nursing fees. Total.* £ 64,138 77,369 84,026 89,592