11.—13

6

to the asylum was offensive, has been pulled down, and a much better one has been built on the farm. A good many pines and other trees have recently been planted about the grounds, which will much improve their appearance. Both departments of the asylum arc very frequently visited by the Deputy-Inspector, who speaks favourably oi' the condition in which he at all times finds them. The registers are now accurately kept. The general impression left by a careful inspection is that the management of this asylum has been placed in excellent hands, and deserves entire confidence. The want of a laundry is a great disadvantage :it is quite impossible to get on without one. I have examined, along with Dr. Young, the plans which, according to instructions, the architect in charge of the new wing has prepared, and can recomend their adoption, subject to a few alterations which we suggested. A dining-hall for the women, plans of whicli have also been prepared, would be a convenience, but it is not essential for their comfort and good management, and it does not seem desirable to press for it in the meantime. It is an object of great impo; tance to have the asylum lighted with gas, and I would strongly urge that instructions should be given to supply the fittings, an estimate for which has been forwarded, and to ar;ange with the gas company for the laying of a main to the asylum. A good deal of expense is caused by the continued detention of the femalo patients in the old hospital, owing to the delay in finishing the new wing. It would be advisable to ask the opinion of the District Engineer on the connection which has been made between the overflow pipes of the cisterns and the soil-pipes of the closets, both in the restored part of the asylum and the new wing, whicli appears to me extremely dangerous. The Medical Superintendent endeavoured to have some of the harmless and incurable patients above referred to removed, but with little success. On inquiry, it was not found that any of them had relations liable for their maintenance, and willing to take care of them; and, as a matter of fact, there is as yet no institution but the asylum into which they can be received. Dr. Young gave certificates, with reference to eight such patients, that they were harmless incurable imbeciles, and detained in the asylum without sufficient cause; but the Eesident Magistrate declined to discharge them, on the ground that they would certainly be brought up by the police under the provisions of " The Vagrant Act, 1866," and be committed to gaol, and thence retrausferred as lunatics to the asylum. When the old hospital is vacated by the female lunatics, it might be made to serve for a while as a benevolent asylum, and several of these imbeciles might be transferred to it. At the same time great care will require to be taken that no persons really capable of benefiting by asylum treatment are placed in such an institution, otherwise a much greater abuse than that of detaining harmless imbeciles in an asylum will creep in, and be tolerated for the sake of cheapness. Authority was obtained to purchase ten or more cows, as recommended. In the Appendix will be found a letter from the Superintendent containing similar information regarding the farm, together with a balance-sheet and return showing the produce supplied from the farm and garden during the year. The laundry is now being built and is expected to be ready in September. It has been determined to light the asylum by means of gasoline, instead of gas, and three machines have been ordered for this purpose. Mr. Thomas Macffariane, the Deputy-Inspector, visited the asylum at the Whau two or three times every month, and the old hospital two or three times a week. He reports very favourably on the general management, and the manner in which the various officers perform their duties. The new wing is now completely finished, except that the baths, which had to be ordered from England, have not yet been fitted in. ChristcJiurch Asylum. —The number of patients on the Ist January was 232 —146 males and 86 females. During the year 44 males and 21 females were admitted for the first time, and 12 males and 6 females were readmitted, and the total number under treatment was 321 —;202 males and 119 females. Of these, there were discharged as recovered 23 males and 19 females, and as relieved 7 ma'es ; 9 males and 7 females died; and at the end of the year there were left 163 males and 93 females—in all 256, or 24 more than at the beginning. The recoveries show a percentage of 4719 on the admissions, and the deaths a percentage of G'69 on the average number resident. Of the 16 deaths which occurred, 6 were due to cerebral, 6 to thoracic, and one to abdominal disease ; 1 to dropsy 1 to rupture of the bowels, and Ito suffocation by a piece of meat in the windpipe. I made an inspection of the asylum in January, the report of which has already been published, and again on the 4th and sth November. On this occasion the asylum was under the charge of Dr. Hacon, the Medical Superintendent, who had entered upon his duties in September, and Mr. Seager, the former Superintendent, having obtained a year's leave of absence, had left for England. I saw all the patients, 242 in number: their condition generally speaking was satisfactory With the exception of two or three noisy and excited females in the airing-court, they are all very quiet and well-behaved. None were in restraint; one patient, a female suffering from puerperal mania, was in seclusion. Only 9 men were recorded in the medical journal as restricted for exercise to the airing-court; almost all the others were taking extended exercise daily in the general grounds. The great change which has been effected in this respect has had a very beneficial effect in promoting tranquillity and contentment among the patients. All but 36 men and 37 women were registered as employed, and about 60 of the men were occupied in various kinds of labour out of doors. A portion of the male wing of the new building had been completed, and was occupied by 25 working patients, and this had considerably relieved the crowded state of the old building. No drainage had been provided for the new asylum, and much inconvenience was felt in consequence; but a temporary arrangement, which seemed likely to answer until connection could be made with the drainage of Addington, was shortly after resolved upon, and this will also provide for the north house, in the drainage of which no change has been effected. During the year 10 patients escaped, and one of these was not brought back, although every effort was made to trace him. No residence having yet been provided for the Medical Superintendent, he has since his appointment continued to occupy the north house, and the male inebriates, like the females, are now received into the main building. This is not a satisfactory arrangement, but the best way of putting an end to it would be, not to provide separate quarters for them in the asylum grounds, but to cut out the clause of the Act which allows them to be placed in a lunatic asylum at all, and let them be committed to an institution specially adapted to their treatment. There were 1 male and 2 female inebriates in the asylum at the beginning of the year, and during it 6 males and 2 females were admitted, and 5 males and 4 females were discharged as recovered, and at the 31st December 2 males-and no females were left. The asylum was inspected and reported on once a month by the Deputy-Inspector, who has from time to time made various suggestions, most of which have been acted upon. The Medical Superintendent js conducting the management of the asylum in a very able and energetic manner, and striving hard to