H.—3.

This year has shown a great falling-off in this institution in the number of patients, and a great increase in the daily cost per head, which has risen from 10s. 7Jd. to 16s. 2d. My experience leads me to believe that in such a place as Naseby this indicates a weakening of confidence in the institution. How far this may be owing to suspicions which I found current regarding the sobriety of the nursing staff, or how far it indicates want of confidence in the doctor, the Trustees, I have no doubt, will soon ascertain. It would be a great pity if, for any preventible reason, there should be any falling-off in the position which this Hospital has maintained for so many years. So far as my actual observations went I could find nothing to account for the change.

NELSON HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1891 ... ... ... 17 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 98 Total under treatment ... ... ... 115 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 86 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 Eemaining on 31st March, 1892 ... ... ... 19 Sex. —81 males, 34 females. Locality from which Patients came. —County of Waimea. Country. —New Zealand, 52; England, 33; Scotland, 11; Ireland, 11; Germany, 3; other countries, 5. Beligion. —Church of England, 64 : Eoman Catholic, 21; Presbyterian, 9; Wesleyan, 12; Lutheran, 6; Baptist, 2; Jewish, 1. Total collective days' stay in hospital, 7,368; individual average days' stay, 64-61. Daily average cost per head, ss. 5Jd. ; less patients' payments, ss. OJd. Outdoor Patients. —Individual cases, 458; attendances, 2,516. Bevenue and Expenditure. Bevenue. £ s. d. I Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 865 17 6 | Eations ... ... ... 448 10 3 Local bodies ... ... ... 881 5 0 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 54 16 6 Eents ... ... ... 83 5 0 Surgery and dispensary ... ... 145 16 2 Patients'payments ... ... 155 5 0 j Fuel and light ... ... ... 160 10 5 Other sources ... ... ... 3 2 2 | Bedding and clothing ... ... 30 18 11 | Furniture and earthenware ,i. 61 12 11 Salaries and wages ... ... 927 19 0 Water-supply ... ... ... 29 15 0 Funerals ... ... ... 730 Painting ... ... ... 42 17 6 Eepairs ... ... ... 32 15 6 Additions to buildings ... ... 379 12 0 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 14 17 6 Other expenses ... ... ... 59 8 4 Total ... ...£1,988 14 8 Total .. £2,396 13 0 I have nothing further to report of this institution than simply to repeat that it continues to work harmoniously and efficiently. The number of patients treated during the year is the same within one as last year, and the daily cost per head is nearly the same.

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1891 ... ... ~. 10 Admitted during the year ... ~. ~, ... 132 Total under treatment ... ... ... 142 Discharged ... ... ... ... ~. ... 120 Died ~, ~. ~. ... ~, ~, 10 Eemaining on 31st March, 1892.., ~, ~. ~. 12 Sex. —llo males, 32 females. Localities from which Patients came. —New Plymouth, 21; Taranaki County, 76; Hawera County, 33 ; Clifton County, 2 ; Greymouth, 2 ; Auckland, 4 ; Wellington, 2 ; Mokau, 1; Patea, 1. Nationality:— English; 63; Scotch, 7; Irish, 20; Colonial, 40; German, 3; Danish, 1; Swiss, 1; American, 1; Prussian, 4 ; Italian, 1; Java, 1. Beligion. —No record kept. Total collective days' stay in hospital, 4,099; individual average days' stay, 28-86. Daily average cost per head, 6s. 9d.; less patients' payments, 4s. 7Jd. Outdoor Patients. —No record kept.

18