H.—22

10

Revenue and Expendituee. Revenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 2,979 310 Rations ... ... ... 1,927 11 8 Local bodies... ... ... 2,700 0 0 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... 196 16 3 Subscriptions and donations ... 219 11 4 Surgery and dispensary ... 849 12 2 Patients'payments ... ... 1,247 2 8 Fuel and light ... ... 745 14 0 Other sources ... ... 348 10 10 Bedding and clothing ... ... 23 10 0 Furniture, earthenware, &c. ... 217 11 9 Salaries and wages ... ... 2,424 2 6 Water-supply ... ... 77 6 6 Funerals ... ... ... 30 5 0 Repairs ... ... ... 504 14 4 Architect's fee ... ... 100 0 0 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... 59 16 6 Interest ... ... ... 1 11 9 Insurance ... ... ... 33 7 3 Commission ... ... ... 15 8 3 Honorary medical staff (half fees) 118 13 0 Other expenses ... ... 155 7 10 Total ... ... £7,494 8 8 Total £7,481 8 9 I have nothing in the way of fault-finding to say about the management of this Hospital. Mr. Burns's ability and care as an administrator are admirable, and are reflected in every department. The nursing staff is efficient, and is working well. The provision for their comfort and the conditions of their work are sedulously looked after. When the new children's ward is finished it will enable the present somewhat dismal ward to be dispensed with, and form a valuable instalment of the new hospital that is to replace the old pile, which was never designed for hospital purposes. The governing body of this Hospital shows none of the slackness that characterizes some local governing bodies in New Zealand. The relations between the Trustees and the Medical School continue to be harmonious. Everybody seems now to be alive to the immense boon this school has conferred on the town and country. I would like to add that all over New Zealand I find the Dunedin graduates markedly well adapted to rely on their own professional resources, especially in circumstances where no medical help is available. lam afraid it will be found that the operation theatre will be too small, for I believe this school will grow to a size that none of its designers contemplated.

DUNSTAN HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1898 ... ... ... 2 Admitted during the year ... .., ... ... 56 Total under treatment ... ... ... 58 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 41 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 Remaining on 31st March, 1899 ... ... ... ... 4 Sex. —49 males, 9 females. Localities from which Patients came. —Clyde, 12 ; Alexandra, 16; Matakanui, 6 ; Baldhill Flat, 3; Ida Valley, 2 ; Earnscleugh, 3; Ophir, 8 ; Cromwell, 3 ; Moutere, 2 ; Lauder, 1; Waikaia, 1; Hawea, 1. Country. —England, 8; Ireland, 14; Scotland, 5; New Zealand, 20; Sweden, 1; Wales, 1; China, 7 ; Canada, 1; Tasmania, 1. Religion. —-Church of England, 21; Roman Catholic, 14 ; Presbyterian, 15; no religion, 8. Total collective days' stay in Hospital, 1,515; individual average days' stay, 26-12. Daily average cost per head, 12s. IOJd.; less patients' payments, lis. O^d. Outdoor Patients. —2B; attendances, 43.