49

EL—22

Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Dunedin, 116 ; Taieri, 25 ; Central Otago, 8 ; Catlins and Clutha, 8 ; Waihemo, 2 ; Waitaki, 2 ; Gore, 3 ; Southland, 5 ; Waikouaiti, 5 ; Lawrence, 3 ; Peninsula, 5 ; Tuapeka, 4 ; Oamaru, 2 ; Taihape, 1 ; Clinton, 2 ; Port Chalmers, 2 ; Waiwera, 2 ; Nuggets, 2 ; Waimate, 2 ; Waikaia, 2 ; Middlemarch, 1. Nationalities of patients : English, 29 ; Irish, 5 ; Scotch, 12 ; French, 2 ; Dutch, 1 ; Australian, 3 ; Creole, 1 ; Maori, 1 ; Italian, 1. Number of out-patients treated during year, 12 ; number of attendances on such out-patients, 124. Result of confinements:—lndoor cases—male infants, 112; female infants, 93; stillbirths, 2: total, 207: infants' deaths, 2. Outdoor cases — male infants, 9; female infants, 5; stillbirths, 3: total, 17. For notes on this Hospital, which is administered by the Department, see the Assistant Inspector's report, p. 11, and the Inspector-General's remarks, page 7.

MATERNITY HOSPITAL, FORTH STREET, DUNEDIN. Governing body : United Districts of Central Otago, Tuapeka, and Otago Charitable Aid Board. Usual date of meeting : Charitable Aid Board meets fourth Tuesday each month ; Maternity Guild meets during winter months. Honorary medical staff : F. C Batchelor, M.D., Surgeon ; Assistant Surgeon, Russell Ritchie, M.8., Ch.B. N.Z., M.R.C.S. E., L.R.C.P. L. Nursing staff : Matron, Miss Rose Macdonald, and 1 registered nurse and 3 probationers. Domestic staff : 1 cook, 1 laundress. Number of beds (available for females only), 16. Average number of patients per diem, 7. Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 1-4. In-patients : Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 7 ; admitted during year, 121 : total under treatment, 128. Discharged during year, 111 ; died during year, 2; in hospital on 31st March, 1909, 15 : total under treatment, 128. Collective days' stay, 2,707 ; individual average days' stay, 21 ; average daily cost per head, ss. 2£d. ; average daily payment per head, Is. 9Jd. ; average daily cost per head deducting in-patients' payments, 3s. 5Jd. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, ss. to £1 10s. Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 1. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Dunedin, .82 ; counties, 12 ; boroughs, 34. Number of out-patients treated during year, 11. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. The Costley Home, Auckland.—Visited in April and June.—On the occasion of my last visit the chronic ward was fully occupied and in good order, but the side rooms were very untidy. There were 10 men and 5 women in the consumptive-shelters. The men's shelter was untidy, but the women's very well kept. The men's quarters were in fair and the women's in excellent order. There has been much trouble at this institution during the year, and, as the institution has gradually assumed the condition of a hospital, I can heartily indorse the recent decision of the Board to appoint a Resident Medical Officer as Manager and a registered nurse as Matron-Superintendent. This should make for the efficiency and economy of the institution. The Samaritan Home, Christchurch. —Visited 10th April.—There were 63 inmates of all ages, including 23 women and 3 babies. The women's quarters were clean and in good order, but the part devoted to the men was dirty and in disrepair. This institution is of a type—the only one in the Dominion—so righteously condemned by, the recent report of the Royal Commissioners on the English Poor-laws. To mix in a single institution the broken-down, the drunkard, the semi-criminal, and the single girl with her baby, is absolutely wrong; and I trust, for the fair name of a city that has ever been associated with the best kind of philanthropic effort, that it will be speedily closed. Lome Farm, Invercargill. —Visited Ist March.—The infants, of whom there are 12 under five years, were outside on the grass, under the care of a youngish woman, who has charge of. the nursery, with the assistance of a girl of seventeen who had been brought up here, but who is now on the staff and in receipt of wages. The children all looked well. One of three years is not able to walk. She had been three or four months there, and had improved very much, being able to stand and move about a little. She was suffering from inanition when received. The nurseries and playroom, cots and bedding, were all sweet-smelling and clean. There were 48 children altogether, 33 of them boys. The older ones were just returning from school, changing into their working and play things, and doing their vatious bits of work, some milking the cows, others bringing in the wood, and so on. The girls were cutting bread and butter for the tea. Some of the older girls have been taken on the staff, as house, nursery, scullery, and kitchen maids. The bread smelt decidedly sour. The Matron said they had had to complain before. In the old people's part there were 11 women, 2of them being defectives—mother and daughter. There were 42 men. Three in the infirmary ward were in bed. The Home is wel 7—H. 22.

CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS, The Costley Home, Auckland. —Visited in April and June. —On the occasion of my last visit the chronic ward was fully occupied and in good order, but the side rooms were very untidy. There were 10 men and 5 women in the consumptive-shelters. The men's shelter was untidy, but the women's very well kept. The men's quarters were in fair and the women's in excellent order. There has been much trouble at this institution during the year, and, as the institution has gradually assumed the condition of a hospital, I can heartily indorse the recent decision of the Board to appoint a Resident Medical Officer as Manager and a registered nurse as Matron-Superintendent. This should make for the efficiency and economy of the institution. The Samaritan Home, Christchurch. —Visited 10th April.—There were 63 inmates of all ages, including 23 women and 3 babies. The women's quarters were clean and in good order, but the part devoted to the men was dirty and in disrepair. This institution is of a type —the only one in the Dominion —so righteously condemned by, the recent report of the Royal Commissioners on the English Poor-laws. To mix in a single institution the broken-down, the drunkard, the semi-criminal, and the single girl with her baby, is absolutely wrong; and I trust, for the fair name of a city that has ever been associated with the best kind of philanthropic effort, that it will be speedily closed. Lome Farm, Invercargill. —Visited Ist March.—The infants, of whom there are 12 under five years, were outside on the grass, under the care of a youngish woman, who has charge of. the nursery, with the assistance of a girl of seventeen who had been brought up here, but who is now on the staff and in receipt of wages. The children all looked well. One of three years is not able to walk. She had been three or four months there, and had improved very much, being able to stand and move about a little. She was suffering from inanition when received. The nurseries and playroom, cots and bedding, were all sweet-smelling and clean. There were 48 children altogether, 33 of them boys. The older ones were just returning from school, changing into their working and play things, and doing their vaiious bits of work, some milking the cows, others bringing in the wood, and so on. The girls were cutting bread and butter for the tea. Some of the older girls have been taken on the staff, as house, nursery, scullery, and kitchen maids. The bread smelt decidedly sour. The Matron said they had had to complain before. In the old people's part there were 11 women, 2of them being defectives—mother and daughter. There were 42 men. Three in the infirmary ward were in bed. The Home is wel 7—H. 22.