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. i The stall has not yet returned to its normal proportions, but there are indications that the new salary__soale, with the less than wholesale cost deducted for maintenance, Leinuiieration attractive when contrasted with the substantial reduction of wages m other occupations by tfie high cos. ol living, and not a lew members of tfie nursing staff who lelt to better themselves under cite lure ol shorter working-hours and these seemingly higher wages have applied to ie-enter the seiVice. The unmarried nursing stall is m a better position than the rest oi the community with regard to cost oi living, but the Government has generously not considered this i,.ct when allotting the oost-01-iiving bonus. Unmarried members oi the nursing staff are charged £25 for complete maintenance, and the married £15 for meals when on duty. Their respective salaries, after making these deductions and without adding any bonus, are, as loflows : Curses, £90 to ills. Attendants--Unmarried, £15/ to £.17U ; married, £180 to £200. Charge nurses, £130 to £i4u. Ohaige attendants— Unmarried, £185 to £200 ; married, £2.15 to £230. The maintenance deduction in the. case oi Matrons is £50, making their net salary —Ulass 0, £160 ; Ulass B, £170 to £180 ; and Class A, £190 to £210. Head attendants ate provided, where possible, with residence, lire, and light at a charge oi £45, and have the privilege of dealing at the institution store, because formerly they drew tree rations from the store, and this payment in kind was commuted lor cash when the salaries were readjusted. Where the house cannot be provided, and the above privilege with it, the deduction is only H'Zo lor meals when on duty. D.duotnig the lull £45, the net salary is —Ulass U, to £3UO ; Ulass A, £3ZU to £34U. There have been many changes among the probationers ajd junior members of tne stall, and these have, naturally increased the responsibility of the seniors, wnoseiiiteffigent oversight, sympathetic care, and kindty control oi: the patients lam glad to be in a position to record. (Such devotion to duty more than anything else stimulates the desire to improve their conditions whenever ana wherever possible ; but belore much can be done we must have a full staff, and be m a position to effect some structural changes to improve the mess-rooms, &c, in some of the institutions. We have set our own example in the .Nurses' Home at Sunnyside, ana the cottages for married men at Tokanui. There have been some changes m the higher staff, and it will be as well to bring the record up to date. Dr. Dray llassell, alter years' service, retired on superannuation in May, lU2U. His knowledge and ripe experience as an alienist, ins urbanity, his judicial cum, una ins Kindly disposition contributea to making a personahty which will long be associated with Porirua. When he came to that institution as its first Medical Superintendent the place must have been desolate ; and the transloimation to its present beauty of lecieation-grounus, trees, shrubberies, anu colour testify to his energy and skill 111 landscape gardening ana the accomplishment ol his desire to improve the amenities of the patients. The thanks of the Government and the appreciation of ins medic.d coliea ri ues expressed on ins retiring was no mere compliment. Dr. Truby ivmg, alter an absence oi two years on special service in England, returned to ISeaolifi at the beginning of this year, and Dr. Jeffreys, who was relieving firm, resumed duty at iNelsoii, and was subsequently promoted to succeed Dr. iiasseli at Porirua. Dr. Meruliop, Who had been appointed iVledical (Superintendent at liokitika, never entered upon his duties there, but relieved and atterwaras succeeded Dr. Jeffreys at .Nelson. The Comptroller-General oi Prisons, wishing to place the Waikena Beiormatory on a scientific footing, asked tor and obtained the loan oi Dr. Gribben, the Medical Superintendent of ISunnyside Mentat Hospital. This reformatory being within easy distance oi the Tokanui Mental Hospital, Dr. Gribben also exercises supervision over Tokanui, an experienced Assistant Medical Uliicer being resident. Dr. Crosby, who has done such excellent pioneer work at Tokanui, was transierred to iSunnyside, where many years ago he had been Assistant Medical Officer under Dr. Levmge. Mr. ISouter, Chief Clerk at the Head Office, retired on superannuation after thirty years' devoted service. Mr. J. M. iiussefl, the much-esteemed senior clerk in the [Service, was appointed to succeed him. As Mr. iiussefi's health had been indifferent, and was getting worse, he was granted six months' sick-leave, but did not long survive. With him there passed irom the Public (Service an efficient and conscientious officer and a loyal gentleman. On hearing oi Mr. iiusseil's illness, Mr. iSouter, whose leave on retirement had not yet expired, returned to Jus desk until another appointment should be made, i wish, to take this opportunity to express to Mr. iSouter my appreciation of the niatter-ol-course manner in which, fie came to our assistance in the emergency. Tollowiug upon Mr. iiusseil's coming to Wellington, Mr. Thomas, at las own request, was transferred to iSunnyside, and Mr. Hughes was appointed Chief Clerk at ISeachff. Mr. Barnes, Head Attendant at Porirua, was, at his own request, transferred to ISunnyside, and Mr. Quill, of ISeachff, was promoted to succeed Mr. Barnes at Porirua. Tfie vacancy at iSunmside was caused by tne death oi Mr. Harris, who had thirty-one years' iaitliiul service to his account. Mr. Harris had been on sick-leave lor ooine months, and his loss will be felt by the patient.-s to whom his kindly genial manner had endeared him. Miss McDougall, Matron of iSoacfiti, has been transferred to Auckland, and Miss Mayze was promoted to succeed Miss Hanna, who was appointed to the Head Office as inspecting Matron —technically an Assistant Inspector. Miss Hanna's qualifications fiad much to do with the creation of the new oiiice. i felt the need oi some one thoroughly acquainted with, tfie ways of patients and tfie domestic economy of mental hospitals to inspect the women's side of these institutions ; and for each inspection to last over some days, so that every aspect of a patient's hie may come under critical and iieipiul review e.y., bathing, dressing (including the quality of the clothing), food and its service, work, recreation, undressing, night supervision, and so forth. WoliK.B fi\ PfiOUfiESS AND IN PItOSPIiUT, AND VISITS Of llNSriiUliO-N. i have mentioned our difficulties m gettin_, materials and iabour lor uujfding, and some urgent works are progressing very slowly. This naturally means a degree of congestion m tfie wards which, tfie additions were designed to relieve. .Nevertheless, both with the shortage oi accommodation and in the numbers of the nursing stall, the work of the year has been remarkably f.ee of untoward incidents, and the general health ol the patients has been good. Once again 1 nave to express my tfianks to the District Inspectors and Oificiai Visitors for their undiminished interest in their respective