25

H.—23

Beiigion. —Church of England, 19; Roman Catholic, 16; Presbyterian, 20; Wesleyan, 1; Salvationist, 1; Baptist, 1; Methodist, 1; Lutheran, 2. Total collective days' stay in hospital, 4,650; individual average days' stay, 76-23. Daily average cost per head, 4s. 5d.; less patients' payments, 3s. BJd. Outdoor Patients. —-Individual cases, 83. Bevenue and Expendituee. Bevenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 459 9 7 Bations ... ... ... 288 16 8 Local bodies ... ... ... 459 9 7 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 21 5 9 Patients' payments ... ... 169 510 Surgery and dispensary... ... 62 711 Fuel and light... ... ... 24 6 0 Bedding and clothing, furniture and earthenware... ... ... 43 11 10 Salaries and wages ... ... 460 6 7 Funerals ... ... ... 35 12 6 Bepairs ... ... ... 59 4 9 Additions to buildings ... ... 6160 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 11 7 6 Insurance ... ... ... 10 0 0 Commission ... ... ... 613 6 Other expenses ... ... 360 Total ... ... £1,088 5 0 Total ... ...£l,OBB 5 0 Westport Hopital, Ist December, 1892. Considerable improvements have been effected in the building and surroundings. I heard no complaints on the occasion of my visit, and everything appeared to be going on satisfactorily.

BOTOBUA SANATOBIUM. Expendituee foe Yeas ended 31st Maech, 1893. £ s. d. Besident Medical Officer ... ... ... ... ... 400 0 0 Matron ... ... ... . ... ... 75 0 0 Bath attendants and servants ... ... ... ... 347 8 0 Bations ... ... ... ... ... ... 326 1 3 Fuel and light ... ... ... ... ... ... 122 18 6 Furniture and crockery ... ... ... ... ... 3245 Surgery and Dispensary ... ... :.. ... ... 10121 Miscellaneous ... .... ... ... ... ... 1245 1,326 8 8 Beceived for maintenance ... ... ... ... 454 1 1 £872 7 7 The responsibility for the management falls necessarily into two departments. The whole administration of the Thermal Springs Act — i.e., the management of the lands, the control and development of the water-supply, and the construction and care of the baths—fall to the Lands Department. We have charge only of the hospital, and the medicinal use of the baths. The principle which guides the Government in managing this institution is that of avoiding all competition with private enterprise so far as providing accommodation for the general public is concerned. To that end admission to the hospital is restricted to those persons who are not able to afford hotel expenses, and who are therefore unable to take advantage of the wonderful curative properties of the waters without public assistance. This assistance is given according to well-known rules, which have been published in the Gazette. The institution was inspected by me in October last, and I found everything in a satisfactory condition. The total number of patients treated during the year was 59; the average number resident during the year 8-75. The daily average cost per head was Bs. 3f d. ; less amounts received for maintenance, ss. 5Jd. It must, however, be pointed out that the doctor's salary has to be relatively much larger here than in any other hospital in the country—viz., £400— owing to the difficulty of inducing a good man to remain in such an isolated place all the year round, whose services should be available for the general public and for the Natives. Besides this, a large sum, viz., £202 per annum, has to be paid to bath-attendants, whose services are largely required to attend on invalids and other bathers who reside at the various hotels and boarding-houses. It is impossible therefore accurately to determine what proportion of these expenses should be charged against the hospital, which moreover does not receive the bath-fees. I can say for certain, however, that considering the high prices which have to be paid for everything in this remote and unproductive district, the management will compare favourably in regard to cost with that of any other hospital in the colony. D. MacGeegoe, M.A,, M.8., Inspector of Asylums and Hospitals. 4—H. 23.