A—3

Native Plaited Ware. —Although there were shipping difficulties during the year, the value of Native plaited ware exported shows a substantial increase over the 1945 figure, which was the previous record. Most of the increase is due to the large quantities exported to Australia. Medical, Dental, and Public Health The staff at 31st March, 1947, consisted of one European Medical Officer, one Native medical practitioner (on loan from Western Samoa), one European Matron, one European nurse, five Native nurses, including two on loan from Western Samoa, and two Niuean Dental Officers. In addition, there were two Native dispensary assistants and one Native dental clinic assistant. All medical and dental treatment, including hospitalization, is provided free of charge to Natives. The following is a comparative table showing the amounts expended on health services over the last five financial years :

A summary of the wqrk performed at the hospital and during the weekly and other visits to villages is set out below :

20

— 1942-43. 1943-44. 1944-45. 1945-46. 1946-47. Amount expended Population Amount per head of population £3,755 4,434 16s. lid. £3,900 4,242 18s. 5d. £3,656 4,200 17s. 5d. £5,305 4,271 £1 4s. 9d. £8,211 4,328 £1 17s. lid.

— 1942. 1943. 1944. 1945. 1946. (1) Infectious diseases— (a) Tuberculosis 30 28 11 26 13 , (b) Gonorrhoea 45 107 21 44 171 (c) Yaws 939 863 713 1,038 1,173 (d) Pneumonia 7 178 25 29 41 broncho-pneumonia (e) Conjunctivitis 128 156 17 104 148 (/) Ringworm 133 418 37 146 55 (g) Varicella 7 16 1 25 5 (h) Typhoid 27 33 15 13 12 (i) Leprosy . . 2 2 1 1 2 -(j) Infectious jaundice 78 112 49 (k) Puerperal fever .. 3 2 (1) Intestinal parasites 150 155 (to) Scabies 166 163 (2) Endemic-diseases — (a) Filariasis Very prevalent Very prevalent 207 181 120 (b) Myositis tropica . . 3 10 6 6 60 (3) Hospital and dispensary— Admissions for year . . 118 116 76 71 139 Average number of days .123-39 32-5 28 11-29 10 in hospital per patient Daily average bed state 39-88 9-95 8-13 4-55 6 District out-patients . . 21,422 29,062 29,811 j. 23,024 21,839 Dispensary out-patients 2,365 1,802 2,984 Special visits 1,661 4,421 2,124 2,205 1,891 Operations 10 Ml 75 369 137 Dental extractions 136 134 130 221 950 Injections, N.A.B., 3,869 10,159 844 4,301 6,828 T.A.B., &c. Confinements 15 18 23 20 63 Anaesthetics— General 8 10 2 21 Local 120 220 149 315 134