5

H.—22

but the same people would make a strenuous effort to keep them from the charitable institutions. Many of these patients could be treated at their own homes, with the occasional assistance of a district nurse. The average daily cost per patient was 7s. Ofd.; with the maintenance fees recovered from patients included it was ss. 7Jd., or exactly the same as it was last year. The average daily cost per patient in our four large hospitals was, — Hospital. - *f * ***&« A-age P Occupied Beds.? Cost. Patients'Fees s. d. s. d. Wellington ... ... 176 311 3 0 Auckland 194 4 10 3 9| Christchurch ... 11l 5 7 J 4 9| Dunedin ... ~.. 120 5 5 4 4§ Or a total of 8,726 patients treated at an average daily cost of 4s. lid. As compared with English hospitals of a similar size, viz. : — Daily Average of Daily Average Hospital. Occupied Beds. Cost. s. d. Leicester ... ... ... ... 172 45 King's College Hospital ... ... 185 5 10£ Leeds General Infirmary ... ... 11l 3 11J Royal Free Hospital ... ... ... 124 4 4| Norfolk Hospital .:. ... ... 169 36 Daily average cost equals 4s. 4d. Considering the larger salaries given our staff and the extra cost of many hospital necessaries, this comparison is somewhat in our favour. The average percentage of administration on expenditure (other than capital expenditure) for the general hospitals in the Dominion is 41'78, being an average of 40'25 for the twenty-six hospitals administered by District Boards and 43'31 for the twenty-seven separate institutions. Charitable Aid. The increase of £1,550 10s. 6d. in charitable-aid expenditure is more apparent than real, as all the returns last year were not sent in by the time the annual report was presented. Table VI shows the receipts and expenditure. As regards the receipts it will be seen that the Government contributed £48,862, as against £39,009 last year, but the amounts from local rates were almost the same as the year previous, viz. : — £ 1907-8 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 39,220 1906-7 ... ... ... ... ... ... 39,009 Increase ... ... ... ... ... .. 211 Voluntary contributions were £3,972, as against £3,917 of 1906-7. There is, however, a falling-off of £2,553 in the payments of persons relieved. As regards expenditure, the returns this year make it a little difficult to compare with the previous year, as it was considered better to show the administrative expenses separately instead of including them as heretofore with the expenditure on indoor and outdoor relief, viz. : — Indoor Outdoor Administrative Other ,p , Relief. Relief. Expenses. Expenses. £ £ £ £ £ 1906-7 ... 64,560 38,305 No return No return 102,866 1907-8 ... 41,587 33,998 13,273 15,558 104,416 Unfortunately, therefore, there is no reduction in expenditure this year on indoor or outdoor relief. In apportioning the details which make up the amounts under the heading of " Administrative and Other Expenses," it is found that the slight increase in charitable relief is equal as regards indoor and outdoor relief. Details of the number of inmates at the Old People's Homes, with the average cost per head, number of staff, &c, are given in Table VIII. Of the £15,558 shown as "Other Expenses," some £9,300 was spent in land or new buildings. Table VII shows the children's portion of the expenditure set forth in Table VI. It will be seen that 1,137 children were either received into industrial schools or boarded out, at a total cost of £18,394, or 6s. 9d. per head per week, as against £16,133 expended in 1906-7. The percentage of cost of administration of charitable aid on the expenditure in the Dominion for the year was 12'70. The percentage varies considerably in the various districts; but in some cases the higher percentage is owing to the fact that in those districts are benevolent institutions for indoor relief, the salaries of the staffs of which.swell the cost of administration. In estimating the cost of administration of both hospitals and charitable institutions the usual practice has been followed of including under this heading salaries and wages. I intend in future, however, to show as administration the salary only of the secretary, office expenses, and general expenses of the Boards. Other salaries and wages will be shown under the heading of maintenance and treatment. •