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tendency to take a sloughing action. Modern pathology would put it down to septic, but the real cause was diabetic. I may mention in this case that Dr. Brown had operated on the man outside and closed up the rupture that was on the left side —a very large one. On the right side he had a rupture that would go into the interior of a small round hat. That was returned into the abdominal sac ; and I have no doubt a factor in his case was the force — the extra ligature—l put on to secure a union. 6435. E. C ? —That is a case of local tension —perforation of the intestines after removal of a large tumour that was obstructing the bowel. There was also an element of doubt in her case afterwards, from what wo learned, as to whether she had not associated some typhoid, but which had not shown itself prior. She died on the ninth day. 6436. A typhoid case would be a sort of a box of septic mischief ?—I would not go into the causation of typhoid. 6437. The Chairman.} Then, out of these twelve cases you do not admit that they all got septic trouble from the Hospital ?—I do not admit that more than one could be fairly charged against the Hospital, and I am not positive about that one. 6438. Mr. Chapman.] Then the boy A ?—Yes ; he met with an accident at Broad Bay. He was a strumous boy, and the suppuration had gone on into the joint and the tissues around the joint before admission. He was decidedly a septic case — i.e., before admission. 6439. The Chairman.] That is not one of the twelve ? —No. 6440. Mr. Chapman.] If the Dunedin Hospital had been in such a bad state as the other side has said, do you think he would have recovered? —Perhaps not. I look on his case, considering its nature, as a wonderful case of recovery of a sound and whole limb ; and it was a wonder to me he lived, let alone saved his leg. His father wrote to me just lately saying that formerly the boy was the weakest one in the family, and that now he was its support and mainstay. 6441. Now, these are details of the cases? —Yes, to a certain extent. I could go further into them. 6442. You do not think it would be fair to put them down as being caused by the state of the Dunedin Hospital?— That is so. It is most unfair ; most of them came in septic. 6443. With the exception, perhaps, of the one case you have mentioned ?—Yes. 6444. Mr. Carew.] And that one you are not certain about ? —That is so. 6445. The Chairman.] How is it a doubtful one?—l do not think it can be explained. It was a case of sepsis that occurred in the Hospital; I think I can safely say that. 6446. Mr. Chapman.] Now, as to these Christchurch statistics. Unfortunately, we have not an opportunity of asking Dr. DeEenzi any questions about them. In Christchurch there were fifty-two serious operations against forty-four in Dunedin, with about two-thirds the total number of patients. In the Christchurch cases, do you think they could have taken into consideration cases such as I put to you in the last part of your examination-in-chief?—l doubt it; but I should like to investigate that matter more carefully. Thepositiou I take up with regard to the Christchurch list is that I suspend judgment upon it. 6447. It is too good?— Yes ; too much joy altogether. 6448. You say that in the Dunedin Hospital you have had a number of cases that must have died in any event? —Yes, the greater probability is that they would have died. 6449. Those you were looking at this morning ?—Yes. 6450. For instance, the man who shot himself through the bowels. That was Mr. A ?— Yes. 6451. He could not have recovered under any circumstances ?—No. 6452. Then there was the case of a young man who was crushed between two railway-trucks ? —Yes, that is a similar case. 6453. They cannot have put in the Christchurch return cases of that kind ? —I cannot say, but it is probable they have some of the deaths. 6454. But you have included them in your list ?—Yes. There is some explanation, I have no doubt —a different system of nosology. 6455. In the Dunedin list, are the cases there performed by the staff' and not by the house surgeon ? —Yes.

Saturday, 13th Septembeii, 1891. Mr. Andrew Bubns sworn and examined. 6456. Mr. Chapman.'] What is your name ?—Andrew Burns. 6457. You are secretary to the Dunedin Hospital?— Yes ; that is what 1 am called in accordance with the by-law. 6458. You have some other title, have you not ?—Yes. I am house steward. 6459. How long have you held your position? —A little over thirteen years. 6460. You have, subject to the direction of the Trustees, the whole of the executive management of the Hospital ?—Of everything except the medical department. 6461. Do you remember Dr. Batchelor's complaint coming in on the 22nd July, in reference to the matter of Mrs. S -'s death ? —Yes ; it was addressed to the chairman of the Trustees. 6462. When was it brought into the office ? —At a special meeting of the Trustees. 6463. It was delivered to the chairman I understand, and brought into the office by him ?— Yes. There was a special meeting of the Hospital Trustees on the 23rd July, it having been called for the purpose of considering the revision of the by-laws, and Dr. Batchelor's letter being considered of importance, it was suggested that it should be read and considered. 6464. Then it was taken into consideration ?—lt was then read.