H.—7

1904. NEW ZEALAND.

LUNATIC ASYLUMS OF THE COLONY (REPORT ON) FOR 1903.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Inspectok-Genekal op Asylums to the Hon. the Minister fob Public Wokks. Sib— Wellington, 27th July, 1904. I have the honour to lay before you the following report on the Lunatic Asylums of Ihe colony for the year ended the 31st December, 1903 : — The number of registered insane persons on the 31st December, 1903, was 2,959 —males, 1,771 ; females, 1,188, being an increase of 111 —males, 56 ; females, 55 —over the previous year. The insane of the colony are distributed as follows:— Males. Females. Total. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 364 212 576 Christchurch ... ... ... ... ... 271 233 504 Dunedin (Seacliff) ... ... ... ... 428 253 681 Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... 130 41 171 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... 88 56 144 Porirua ... ... ... ... ... 328 253 581 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... 142 120 262 Ashburn Hall (private asylum) ... ... ... 20 20 40 1,771 1,188 2,959 The proportion of the male insane to the male population is,— New Zealand (exclusive of Maoris) ... ... 3-99 per 1,000, or lin 251 New Zealand (inclusive of Maoris) ... ... 383 „ lin 261 The proportion of the female insane to the female population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ' ... 2-99 „ lin 334 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 2-88 „ lin 348 The proportion of the total insane to the total population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3-53 „ lin 284 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3-38 „ lin 296 Admissions. On the Ist January, 1903, the number of insane persons in our asylums was—males, 1,715 ; females, 1,138 : total, 2,848. The number of those admitted during the year for the first time was —males, 306; females, 183 : total, 489. The readmissions numbered—males, 148 ; females, 54 : total, 202. The number transferred from one asylum to another during the year was — males, 99; females, 11 : total, 110. Deaths. The percentage of deaths on the average number resident during the year was 596, as compared with 6-28 for the previous year. The percentage of deaths on the admissions was—males, 36-34 ; females, 1947 : total, 29-78. Bkcoveries. The percentage of recoveries on the admissions was —males, 40-56 ; females, 44-69 : total, 42-17, as compared with—males, 38-35 ; females, 51-56 : total, 43-01, for the previous year.

I—H. 7.