22

H.—22

Revenue and Expendituee. Revenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 265 13 10 Rations ... ... ... 139 12 1 Local bodies ... ... ... 341 3 2 Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 2109 Subscriptions and donations ... 510 Surgery and dispensary ... 49 10 6 Patients' payments ... ... 840 Fuel and light ... ... 38 4 2 Other sources... .. ... 30 7 2 Bedding and clothing ... ... 15 16 2 Salaries and wages ... ... 267 19 0 Water-supply... ... ... 3 10 0 Repairs ... ~. ... 28 7 6 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 10 14 11 Interest ... ... ... 0 11 0 Insurance ... ... ... 500 Other expenses ... ... 70 3 1 Total ... ... £650 9 2 Total ... ... £650 9 2 This Hospital is now practically in the hands of Dr. Owen, who is Dr. Scott's partner. I shall be interested to find how the Old-age Pensions Act will affect this institution, since the great majority of the inmates have always been chronic cases. There is a desire on the part of some members of the Board to build a new hospital. This I think would be an unjustifiable waste of public money.

QUEENSTOWN HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1898 ... ... ... 11 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 11l Total under treatment ... ... ... 122 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... ... 110 Died ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 Remaining on 31st March, 1899... ... ... ... 6 Sea;.—loo males, 22 females. Localities from which Patients came. —Lake, Vincent, Southland, and Clutha Counties, Dunedin, London. Country. —New Zealand, 55; England, 9; Ireland, 16; Scotland, 20; Australia, 3; Holland, 3 ; Germany, 5 ; Tasmania,, 4 ; Sweden, 2 ; Malta, 2 ; America, 1; China, 1; France, 1. Religion. —Church of England, 31; Roman Catholic, .31; Presbyterian, 51; Lutheran, 1; Greek Church, 1; Wesleyan, 1; Baptist, 1; Methodist, 1; Buddhist, 1. Total collective days' stay in Hospital, 3,516; individual average days' stay, 28-82. Daily average cost per head, ss. sfd.; less patients' payments, ss. 3Jd. Outdoor Patients. —Individual cases, 89 ; attendances, 186. Revenue and Expendituee. Revenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 310 12 11 Rations ... ... ... 223 8 11 Local bodies ... ... ... 268 10 0 Wines, &c, and surgery and disSubscriptions and donations ... 65 1 5 pensary ... ... ... 67 2 0 Patients'payments ... ... 324 11 0 Fuel and light ... ... ... 78 8 5 Balance from last year ... ... 272 9 11 Salaries and wages ... ... 421 0 0 Bedding, clothing, furniture, &c. ... 97 5 6 Repairs ... ... ... 6 15 6 Additions (fever ward) ... ... 263 5 6 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 180 Interest ... ... ... 0 9 3 Insurance ... ... ... 15 5 3 Commission ... ... ... 816 3 Other expenses ... ... 44 12 11 Total ... £1,241 5 3 Total ... £1,227 17 6 My visit to this Hospital was made early in the day, so that a little confusion was inevitable. I found the patients all very comfortable, and speaking in the highest terms of the treatment they received. The advantages of this climate in cases of phthisis is becoming so well understood that I think it is only a question of time when this Hospital must be enlarged. Meanwhile the .Trustees ought as soon as possible to provide a hot-water supply. As in all our goldfield hospitals, the patients feel as comfortable as if they were at home, and in many cases it is the best home they ever knew, so far as comfort is concerned.