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4853. Mr. White.] Then the effect of the surroundings is to make the air which comes from that direction impure ? —lt makes it very impure. 4854. The Chairman.'] And all the air that reaches the Hospital must necessarily come across this part of the harbour?— Yes. 4855. Mr. White.] For these reasons, then, you think that the site is objectionable ?—-I think it is decidedly objectionable, and, in my opinion, perhaps it is one of the most unhealthy parts of the town. 4856. Do you know anything about the Hospital drains? —So far as I can see they are oldfashioned ; not constructed on any correct plan, and call for amendment. 4857. What alterations would you suggest ?—I say that the traps at the foot of the drains, which collect all sorts of rubbish and filth that conies from the soil-pipes, not being flushed with water, are not sufficiently cleansed. They are fitted with old-fashioned gully-traps, which all sanitarians and practical plumbers have condemned for the last fifteen or twenty years. 4858. I believe that this was constructed by the Public Works Department only seven years ago ? —1 cannot help what the Public Works Department has done ; I did not advise the Department. lam simply taking as my authority a book well known among architects—" Hellyer," who is looked on as one of the highest authorities on sanitation. 4859. In what respects are the traps defective ?—As a matter of fact, they are not self-cleansing and will retain filth, which would require periodical removal by hand. I have looked at them occasionally and found them to retain filth. 4860. Which traps are you speaking of?— The little gully-traps outside the Hospital. 4861. Under the ground, do you mean ?—Yes. The house is surrounded with some eight or ten of them, I believe ; but so far as I could see they are worse than being without traps at all. 4862. Are they ventilated ?—Yes, they have ventilators, but they are not self-cleaning, and therefore of no use. The traps do not ventilate themselves at all, and, as solid matter adheres to the side of them they are germ-cultivators, instead of being healthy traps. A certain amount of water only comes into them, and washes away but a, small part. Above that the water leaves a deposit, which germinates a certain amount of filth. Even those around the new operating-theatre are ill-designed. 4863. Did you examine the drains about the building ?—Yes. 4894. Did you find them offensive in any way ?—I cannot say I found them offensive. 4865. The Chairman.] I suppose it is quite possible the traps might be propagating germs and doing a great deal of mischief without being offensive to the nose or eye ? —Quite so. I may say, as a result of my own experience, I have not found anything like a proper sanitary fitting in any of the public buildings in Dunedin. 4866. Mr. White.] Nothing like the appliances that modern or perfect sanitary conditions require ? —That is so. 4867. Now, as to the other drains about the Hospital. Have you examined them?— Yes, I examined the drains—l speak now particularly of the operating-theatre, which I take to be the latest effort of the builders and engineers of the colony—and found that one end of the dischargepipes, sinks, and so forth, was merely 6iu. in diameter, which is far too big for the flush-water to keep clean. The gully-trap was something immense in size—about 18in. square —and was filled up with stagnant water. At the top of this stagnant water there was a layer of filth about thick. These traps are placed in such a position that the wind must necessarily carry up any germs emanating from them into the windows of the operating-theatre. Therefore, lam afraid that they may, under certain circumstances, be a kind of death-trap to anybody being operated on. 4868. The Chairman.] Do you know how the ventilators are managed?—l forget for the moment. 4869. Are the traps of the lavatories imperfect ?—The basins are imperfectly trapped. 4870. Are they liable to siphon out ?—There is nothing to prevent it. There is only one trap along a long line of pipe. 4871. What about the closets, lavatories, and baths?— The less said about them the better. I agree with most that has been said about them during this inquiry : that they do not comply with the general requirements of sanitation. 4872. You do not approve of the position of the closets?—l do not. 4873. You object to the closets being in the wards ?—Yes. 4874. And the double doors: what is your opinion of them ?—One day, before this inquiry came on, I happened to go in there, and was speaking to my students about closets, and demonstrating the working of them to them, I found in the closets the remains of what seemed to be what a man had been smoking. But I noticed no smell remaining. The ventilation of the closets was very good, and the double doors kept the smell from reaching the wards. I was surprised at the time to find that it was so. 4875. Did you examine the baths and lavatories ? —I examined the baths, but as they were closed in by painted boards I could not see the fittings. Ido not know how they are trapped. The lavatories have three basins with only one trap, and that is badly made. One water-seal is not sufficient for three traps. 4876. Did you try if they were properly sealed ?—Yes ; and both were unsealed. They were trapped on an altogether wrong system. 4877. Mr. White.] The soil-pipes go directly into the down-pipes from the roof. Do you know that ?—I have never been able to follow the soil-pipes, because they are covered up. I mast take that for granted, because I cannot trace them. 4878. The Chairman.] Do you think that is a good thing?— Certainly not. 4879. Mr. White.] It has been suggested that the defects of the closets can be overcome by putting up a plaster partition at the ends of tEe wards, with means for cross-ventilation in the