7

H.—7

Medical Superintendents and myself at Hie recent conference held under your presidency. We who have the immediate responsibility of curing for the insane feel a relief of tension in that we arc well assured that your views on the responsibility of the State towards our charges correspond with ours. Ihe State having taken over the oversight, care, and control of the mentally defective cannot evade that responsibility, questions of cost notwithstanding, so long as there is no actual waste. Under this heading we are dealing with building alone, but intimately associated with the building is the treatment of patients, for the skilled carrying-out of which certain types of buildings are necessary; and intimately associated with skilful treatment is a staff under proper control. In all these questions the above conception of the State's duty holds. When the accommodation is abreast or ahead of requirements we shall be, to quote a few of many examples, in a better position to deal with evasions of the law, to care for the sensitive, to answer misguided agitations for the discharge of patients unfit for discharge in 'their own or the public interest, and so forth. The realization of such matters will convey some significance of the sense of relaxing tension to which allusion has been made. Buildings are in progress at each of the mental hospitals except Hokitika and Nelson. These two smaller institutions, mainly built in wood, are more or less congested structures of one story, but without proper fire-breaks, and it is evident that, in part at least, they require rebuilding. The case of Nelson as the more urgent lias been taken in hand. A plan of a new kitchen and the consequential alterations is about completed, which will allow the central kitchen in be removed and leave a space between the two divisions of the institution behind the dininghall. At Hokitika a small hospital ward will be added. The fire at Sunnyside in the attic dormitory rendered it necessary to inn ii|> a temporary building, and this was done with the greatest expedition. Apropos of the fire, I would like to record the excellent work done by the staff, our brigade having six leads of hose at work with professional promptitude, a fact which, I understand, was remarked upon by the city fire brigade when it arrived. The damage done was comparatively little, the fire being confined to the dormitory between the limits of the cut-off walls. It is not intended to use the room as a dormitory again. Farming Operations. During the year under review the farms have been most successful, as may be noted in the following summary of expenditure and receipts : — Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s . d. To Salaries and wages .. .. .. 4,076 13 6 By Cash sales of produce, &o. .. .. 5,837 4 10 Feed .. .. .. .. 2,944 15 3 Value of produce grown on farms and Seeds, &c, manures .. .. 1,126 7 5 consumed in the mental hospitals.. 14,629 0 8 Implements, harness, repairs, &c. .. 795 4 6 Stock .. .. •■ .. 793 10 8 Rents, rates, &o. .. . .. .. 690 610 Fencing, roading, &o. .. .. 257 12 9 Harvesting, threshing, &c. .. .. 116 0 10 Railages .. .. .. .. 119 8 10 Buildings .. .. .. .. 115 16 11 Sundries.. .. .. .. 211 4 1 Balance .. .. .. .. 9,219 311 £20,466 5 6 £20,466 5 6 The value of the produce consumed is shown at wholesale prices ruling in the district. Compared with the previous year the casli sales were about ,£336 less, and the value of produce consumed increased by £557, a total increase of about ,£222. Had it not been for pioneering expenditure at Tokanui Die balance would have been £l().(i(t!>. or £92 more than 1912. The expenditure on individual farms is shown hereunder : —

Auckland. Christchurch. Seaclifl. Hokitika. Nelson. Forirua. Tokanui. Total. Salariee and wages Feed Seeds,&c,manures Implements, harness, repairs, &o. Stock Rent, rates, &o... Fencing, roading, &c. Harvesting.threshing, &c. Railage Buildings Sundries £ s. d. 250 0 0 221 14 0 186 15 4 78 1 8 £ s. d. 510 0 0 253 14 2 159 9 10 152 19 0 £ s. d. 2,031 0 0 1,163 8 10 243 12 2 223 19 5 £ s. d.j ]01 12 6! 27 0 4 26 7 0 28 16 0l £ s. d 230 0 0 68 12 0 41 0 10 31 9 5 £ a. d. 408 0 0 935 7 1 271 8 11 58 10 9 £ s. d. 540 1 0 275 3 10 197 13 4 221 8 8 £ s. d. 4,076 13 6 2,944 15 3 1,126 7 5 795 4 6 7 8 6 66 17 6 431 11 3 113 8 8 94 7 0 143 18 1 26 19 6 8 0 6: 96 14 2 114 17 6 57 10 1 520 3 0 793 10 8 690 6 10 257 12 9 le'ia 2 4 19 7 4l"2 9 39 16 8 54 15 5 21 8 9 116 0 10 0 7 5 20°7 8 77 12 3 172 1 5 80 0 0 11 11 5 10 3 3 4 15 0 34 6 5 26 13 3 2 11 9 119 8 10 US 16 11 211 4 1 Totals 778 6 4 1,977 10 9| 4,089 10 1 191 16 4i 402 5 7 11,247 1 7 1,942 8 6 1,865 4 0