H.— 22

30

Revenue and Expenditure. Revenue. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. From Government ... ... 765 8 9 j Rations ... ... ... 514 14 9 Local bodies ... ... ... 708 0 4 | Wines, spirits, ale, &c. ... ... 38 19 0 Subscriptions and donations ... 50 15 6 ! Surgery and dispensary ... 315 111 Rents ... ... ... 795 10 9 ! Fuel and light... ... ... 353 7 6 Patients'payments ... ... 377 5 6 Bedding and clothing ... ... 34 15 10 Other sources.,. ... ... 67 17 6 | Washing and laundry ... ... 68 16 3 Balance from last year... ... 395 16 9! Salaries and wages ... ... 872 15 0 Water-supply... ... ... 80 0 0 Funerals ... ... ... 7 3 8 Repairs ... ... ... 4 19 2 New hospital ... ... ... 400 11 4 Printing, advertising, postage, and stationery ... ... ... 71 10 0 Interest ... ... ... 326 0 9 Other expenses ... ... 126 11 10 Total ... ...£3,160 15 1 Total ... ...£3,215 7 0 The Board of this Hospital have, I think, prematurely appointed a resident medical officer. The institution is not large enough in point of numbers to have made this necessary. One result of this change was that a good deal of friction arose between the new resident and the nursing staff, for which Ido not think the former was to blame. In fact, our system of female nursing, if it is to be kept within anything like bounds, either as regards its cost or the pretentions of individual matrons and nurses, will require a much stronger and less sentimental handling than most of our Boards seem able to apply to it. It is apt to be forgotten that, after all, hospitals exist not for the nurses, but for the patients. The grievances of nurses, which in New Zealand are really very hard to discover, figure far too much in the newspapers.

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL. Number of patients on 31st March, 1898 ... ... 153 Admitted during the year ... ... ... ... 1,582 Total under treatment ... ... 1,735 Discharged ... ... ... ... ... 1,478 Died .... ... ... ... ... ... 120 Remaining on 31st March, 1899 ... ... ... 137 Sex. —992 males, 743 females. Localities from which Patients came. —Wellington, 1,220; Wellington suburbs, 91; ships in port, 51; Petone, 51; Lower Hutt, 29 ; Levin, 21; Upper Hutt, 18; Masterton, 18 ; Pahiatua, 11; Palmerston North, 10; Johnsonville, 10; Martinborough, 9; Foxton, 8; Otaki, 8; Feilding, 7; Shannon, 6; Featherston, 5 ; Mauriceville, 5 ; Manukau, 5 ; Opiti, 5 ; Eketahuna, 5 ; Christchurch, 5 ; Greymouth, 5 ; Stratford, 5 ; Porirua, 5 ; Marton, 4 ; Trentham, 4 ; Tawa Flat, 4 ; Forty-mile Bush, 4 ; New Plymouth, 4; Kereru, 4 ; Halcombe, 3 ; Wanganui, 3 ; Waiwetu, 3 ; Taita, 3 ; Paraparaumu, 3 ; Paikakariki, 3 ; Mangatainoka, 3 ; Greytowja, 3 ; Kaikoura, 3 ; Reefton, 3 ; Dunedin, 2 ; Hawke's Bay, 2 ; Hawera, 2 ; Waituna, 2 ; Mungaroa, 2 ; Pohangina, 2 ; Awahuri, 2 ; Ashhurst, 2; The Summit, 2 ; Alfredton, 2 ; Colyton, 2; Birmingham, 2; Nelson, 2; Mangaweka, 2 ; Kaitoke, 2 ; Patea, 2 ; Woodville, 2; Rangitikei district, 2 ; Wairarapa district, 1; England, 1; Westport, 1; Waikanae, 1 ; Wangaehu, 1; Waipukurau, 1; Stokes Valley, 1 ; Moawhanga, 1; Pahautanui, 1; Taranaki District, 1 ; Te Horo, 1 ; Tokomaru, 1 ; Temuka, 1 ; Napier, 1; Invercargill, 1 ; Makuri, 1; Lyell 1; Kumara, 1 ; Cobden, 1; Dannevirke, 1 ; Carterton, 1; Gisborne, 1; Horokiwi, 1; Beaconsfield, 1; Dalefield, 1; Eltham, 1; Belmont, 1; Blenheim, 1; Longburn, 1; Gore, 1; Takapau, 1 ; Portland Island, 1. Country. —New Zealand, 891; England, 414 ; Ireland, 190; Scotland, 102 ; Australia, 28 ; Germany, 16 ; Wales, 11; Denmark, 12 ; Norway, 10 ; Sweden, 9; China, 7 ; America, 5; Greece, 4 ; Italy, 4; Austria, 3; France, 3 ; West Indies, 3 ; India, 2 ; Finland, 2 ; Shetland Islands, 2 ; Canada, 2 ; Channel Islands, 2 ; Isle of Man, 1; Spain, 1; Tasmania, 1; Russia, 1; Belgium, 1; Africa, 1; Portugal, 1; Holland, 1; Assyria, 1; unknown, 4. Religion. —Church of England, 761; Roman Catholic, 413 ; Presbyterian, 239; Wesleyan, 124 ; Baptist, 28; Salvation Army, 23; Primitive Methodist, 18; Church of Christ, 17 ; Lutheran, 16 ; Congregationalist, 13 ; Brethren, 11; Methodist, 8; Hebrew, 7; Plymouth Brethren, 5 ; Confucian, 5 ; Greek Church, 4 ; United Christian Mission, 4 ; Freethinker, 2 ; Catholic Apostolic, 2 ; Unitarian, 2; Noncomformist, 1; Spiritualist, 1; Church of God, 1; Church of Sweden, 1; Mohammedan, 1; Seventh Day Adventist, 1; Society of Friends, 1; China Mission, 1; no religion at all, 25. Total collective days'stay in Hospital, 52,376; individual average days' stay, 30-18. Daily average cost per head, 4s. 2£d. ; less patients' payments. 3s. sfd. Outdoor Patients. —Individual cases, 2,771; attendances, 13,519.