THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH FEBRUARY, 1899. 995
4. The number of prisoners committed to the Gaol for offences not of a criminal nature was 1,837, made
up as follows:-
Committed under the Prepared Opium Ordinance,.................................. 505
Market Ordinance,
Vehicle Ordinance,
Sanitary Bye-laws,
Harbour Regulations,
For Trespass,.
For Drunkenness,
For Disorderly Conduct,
210
39
..... 286
92
34
..158
****.513
5. The following table, which I insert for the first time, shows the number of prisoners who were committed to Gaol without the option of a fine, and in default of payment of fines.
The period of detention of those who paid their fines after reception in the Gaol was from one to three days.
Number of Prisoners admitted to Gaol during each of the last three years under sentence of imprisonment with and without the option of a fine, and the number of those who obtained their release by paying their fines after reception in Gaol.
Imprisonment in default of paying fine.
Imprisonment with-
Year,
Total.
out the option of
a fine.
Total.
Served the Imprisonment.
Paid fine after recep-
ception into Gaol.
1896,
5,582
2,029
3,553
1,928
1,425
1897,
5,076
1,968
3,108
1,697
1,411
1898,
5,427
1,852
3,575
1,815
1,760
With a view to decreasing the number of prisoners confined in Gaol in default of payment of fines, I have suggested legislation such as has recently been introduced at home, allowing part pay- ment of a fine to be equivalent to serving a proportionate part of the sentence of imprisonment in default.
6. There were 4,038 reports made by Prison Officers against prisoners for offences against Prison discipline, as compared with 2,619 reports for the previous year.
A proportion of the increase is directly due to the increased population of the Gaol in 1898, and I attribute the remainder of the increased reports to the following conditions which rendered difficult the enforcement of strict discipline :-
(a) The location of a larger number of prisoners in Association while the work of sub-divid
ing the cells, which is referred to in paragraph 8, was in progress.
(6) The interruption of the regular routine of labour by this and other structural improve-
ments on a large scale that have been carried out during the year.
(c) The numerous changes in the Indian Gaol staff to which I have adverted in C.S.O. §87.
Discipline cannot be maintained by inexperienced officers.
I give below the number of reports for offences against prison discipline for each of the last three years, and the average number of reports per unit of the Gaol population:-
Daily Average
Year.
Population.
Number of Reports for Offences against Prison Discipline.
Average Number of Reports per Prisoner.
1896,
514
3,884
7.55
1897,
462
2,619
5.66
1898,
511
4,038
7.90