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CHRISTCHURCH MENTAL HOSPITAL. Dr. McKillop reports : — I have the honour to forward my report for the year ended 31st December, 1934. On the Ist January, 1934, there were 1,339 patients on the register. During the year 217 patients were admitted, 75 were discharged, and 93 were transferred to other institutions, leaving 1,310 resident at the end of the year, inclusive of 51 males and 56 females absent on probation. One hundred and three voluntary boarders received treatment during 1934, 35 were discharged, 7 were committed, and 1 died, 60 remained for further treatment. The general health of the patients has been very good ; there were 78 deaths, the chief cause of death being senile decay. The new villa for women has been completed and is already in occupation ; the provision of this villa and the transfer of a large number of patients to the villas at other institutions have eased the overcrowding to a very appreciable extent. The villa for young men at Jenkin's Farm is approaching completion ; the occupation of this villa will afford congenial and healthy employment in the way of farming, gardening, and roacl-construction. The new kitchen at the Reception Home is well under way and should be in use by the Ist April. Our general maintenance-work has been well carried out by our artisan staff under the Work's Overseer, Mr. Wilson. A new bakehouse and a new laundry at Templeton are our urgent requirements for the coming year. Despite the unfavourable season, the farm returns have been very creditable. The patients recreation has been carried out on the usual lines ; the " talkie plant " has been installed and is proving a great success. The pictures have been very suitable, and our gratitude is due to the companies who have provided them for our use. I regret to have to report the death of Mr. Barnes, who recently retired after forty years' service with this department. Mr. Acland, District Inspector, and the Official Visitors (Mrs. Williams and Mr. Hanna) have paid regular visits to the institution and have been very concerned with the welfare of the inmates. To them and to the clergymen of all denominations I tender my thanks for their attention. I also desire to accord my thanks to Drs. Brown, Lewis, and Bellringer for the help they have given me in the work of the institution. When Dr. Drown was transferred to Seacliff in May a very considerable amount of extra work was placed on the other medical officers, who carried it out without complaint. Mr. Thomas and the office staff, the Matrons, Head Attendants, and other heads of Departments have given very loyal and efficient service, and I thank them and the staff as a whole for the satisfactory manner in which the work of the hospital has been carried out. I should also like to place on record my appreciation of the services rendered to us by Mr. Holder and Mr. Wells, of Head Office, who have retired on superannuation ; and would like you to assure them of the good wishes of the staff here on their retirement.

SEACLIFF MENTAL HOSPITAL. Dr. Hayes reports : — I have the honour to present my annual report for the year ended 31st December, 1934. On the Ist January, 1934, there were 1,245 patients on the register (667 male, 578 female), while at the end of the year there were 1,218 patients (684 male, 534 female), relief from overcrowding in the female division having been obtained by the transfer of 50 patients to Hokitika in December. During the year 131 patients were admitted, of whom 105 (52 male, 53 female) were admitted for the first time. There were 41 patients discharged, of whom 24 were recovered, 7 relieved, and 10 unimproved. The health of the patients has been satisfactory, and deaths numbered 59 (28 male, 31 female), the commonest assigned cause being senile decay. Thirty-six voluntary boarders were admitted, of whom 6 were readmissions. Of the total number of voluntary boarders under treatment during the year (68) 24 were discharged, 2 committed, and 1 died. There were 5 cases admitted under section 8, all of whom were subsequently committed. Overcrowding is still a problem. Though the transfer of female patients to Hokitika has reduced the overcrowding from 112 to 72, on the other hand the overcrowding on the male side has increased from 130 to 137. The patients in F. 1 are still obliged to have their meals in the corridor of that ward and to sleep in F. 2, but some relief will be afforded this coming year by the completion of the new wing to the Nurses' Home. This will allow the F. 1 patients to occupy the old dining-room vacated by the nurses. The new boiler-house and Engineer's workshops have been completed and the transference of practically all machinery effected by the end of the year. A new wing, which is to comprise diningroom and charge nurses' dining and sitting rooms and twenty-one bedrooms, is in course of erection at the Nurses' Home, and is about half completed. New waste-water drains were put in at Waitati for three of the villas, effecting considerable improvement in the sewage and drainage of these wards. Radiators in F. 1 Waitati were raised above floor-level, and the hot-water service renewed. The Medical Superintendent's residence was levelled and renovated. The concert hall is in course of renovation. New hot-water service throughout the main building at Seacliff is nearly completed.

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