3

H.—7

Admissions. Kxclusive of 108 patients (m., 77; f.. 31) transferred from one institution to another, the admissions numbered 784 (m., 466; f., 318), as against 839 (in., 458; f., 381; in the previous year, a decrease of 55. Of the 784, those admitted for the first time to any mental hospital in New Zealand numbered 660 (m., 394; f., 266), and those not admitted for the first time, 124 (in., 72; f., 52). To the first admissions 20 immigrants, who became insane within a year of landing here, contributed. Of this number, 5 men and 6 women came from the United Kingdom, of whom I woman had been previously insane, 3 men came from the Commonwealth, and 6 (one had been previously insane) from foreign countries. In addition, 3 New-Zealanders (men) were admitted shortly after their return from residence abroad. Ratio of Admissions to Population. Excluding the Native race (9 male and 5 Female patients) and all transfers, the proportion of admissions (whether firsi or not) and first admissions to the estimated general population (mean) stands respectively at 721 and 606 per 10,000; or, in other words, every 1,388 persons in the general population contributed an admission, and every 1,649 a first admission.

As a measure of the increase of patients under the Act in relation to the increase in the population, this table is more accurate than figures detailing the proportion of total mentally defective to the population. The first division in each section deals with all patients placed on the register during the periods; the second separates from the firsi patients whose names were placed on the register for the first time. As one attack of insanity predisposes to another, the return of many patients a longer or shorter time after discharge is not surprising, but an increase in the ratio of first admissions is of more serious import. During the last thirty-eight years there has been 1 readmieeion among every 461 admissions, or 1 return of a discharged patient for every 2 - 67 discharges—that is, cases discharged, not persons, for persons labouring under the recurrent forms of disorder will have been discharged and readmitted more than once. The general tendency, as demonstrated by the proportions at the quinquennia, indicates an increase of occurring insanity in excess of the increase in the population, though the proportions for 1913 compare very favourably with last year and favourably with the average of the previous five years. In this connection it is necessary to repeat that our population is materially augmented by ready-made adults, persons no longer immune by age, who have during their period of immunity diluted the statistics of some other country; and that the Mental Defectives Act, 1911, spreads its net wider than the Lunatics Act. Also, when dealing, as we are, with small numbers the addition of a few from any cause, such as an influx of adults and the advancing age of earlier settlers, makes a material difference. In England and Wales during 1912 every 10,000 of the general population contributed 5*13 first admissions and*6 - 14 total admissions (idiot establishments excluded). Our Ratios compared with Australian States. —For figures supplied for the construction of the following table I am obliged to the Inspectors-General of the States inoluded. Our admission proportions have, for purposes of comparison, been calculated on the population at the end of the year, whereas the figures in the table above were calculated on the mean.

Comparative Statement of Registered Insane Persons and Admissions to Institutions in relation to General Population.

Ratio to 10,000 of Population of Number of Persons in Population contributing Year. Admissions. First Admissions. One Admission. One First Admission. Quinquennial average, 1903-7 Quinquennial average, 1908-12 Decennial average, 1903-12 6-83 7-61 I 5-57 620 5-57 620 1,465 1,313 1,795 1,613 7-25 5-91 5-91 1,380 1,693 1913 7-21 606 606 1,388 1,649

Proportion oiInsane to 1,000 of the Population. Number of Ratiot^ Persons in lauc Population to one Insane Admissions. XX) of Popum of Number of Persons in Population contributing State. First Admissions. One Admission. One First Admission. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. ?ew South Wales r ictoria .. Queensland South Australia Vestern Australia Tew Zealand (exolusive of Maoris) 4-08J3-153-64 403'409|406 4122-953 59 2-78,2-14 2-46 ,3-741-90 2-M 4-04J3-15 3-61 245 248 317 244 274 7-97 246 7-17 .. 7-90 . . 7-40 340 8-55 276 8-03 5-78 6-93 6-67 606 6-616-63 i-63 6-86 .. 4-94 6-18 .. 5-38 7-17j .. 6-07 709 6-80 4-77 5-43 5-77 6-03 1,253 1,394 1,7291,4421,497 1,6511,512 1,507 .. 1,618 '.. 1,8511,394 .. 1,647 1,4091,470 2,095 1,841 1,732 1,657 2G7 247 526 817 5 06 5-97 1,169 1,245 1,975 1,674