To be brief, I am against Flogging with exception of for offences enumerated under section 19 of Ordinance 4 of 1865 and section 31 of Ordinance 7 of 1865 and section 8 of Ordinance 16 of 1865 and for returning from banishment.
I am of the opinion, as already expressed by me at the earlier meetings of the Commission, that if the punishment of depriving a Chinaman of his queue was to be put into force it would act as a greater deterrent than Whipping. I look upon this mode of punishment in a far more serious light than apparently some of the other members of the Commission, and I may add that several respectable Chinamen with whom I have conferred upon the subject fully agree as to this mode of punishment in preference to Flogging.
I would not inflict it until a man had received fair warning say for second offence, and in cases of first offence of petty crime, give short terms of solitary confinement on sparse diet without the option of a fine.
A few examples of depriving Chinamen of their queues might have to be made, when I believe that instead of two hundred and seventy prisoners being confined for petty offences as at present this number would be very considerably reduced.
As regards increasing the discretionary power to punish, of the Superintendent of the Gaol, I am of opinion that this should be granted, but that before acting he should be requested to consult with at least one Justice of the Peace.
In all other respects I agree with the Report.
I am, Sir,
153
To Honourable E. J. ACKROYD,
Chairman,
GAOL COMMISSION.
Your obedient servant,
A. P. MACEWEN.
(Enclosure 4.)
Report of a Sub-Committee consisting of :-
Honourable EDWARD J. ACKROYD, Honourable W. KESWICK,
Major-General GORDON,
Dr. MANSON, and
C. P. CHATER, Esquire
appointed to visit the Victoria Gaol at night and report on the state thereof.
The Committee appointed Wednesday the 21st April, 1886, 10 P.M. for their visit. At the last moment the Honourable W. KESWICK, was prevented from attending. The Gaol was visited at the hour and on the day mentioned by the other members of this Sub-Committee.
We visited all the cells and corridors. In those corridors where each cell was occupied by one prisoner only we found perfect ventilation.
In other cells we found that the prisoners had closed the windows which greatly interfered, if it did not altogether stop the free current of air in the cell. Many of these cells however were not overcrowded. We visited other corridors in the cells of which there were eight, ten, or eleven prisoners confined.
Although the windows in these were left open we found strong proofs of over- crowding.
We think more openings might be made in the corridors and elsewhere with a view of increasing the volume of air.
We annex a return prepared for us by General GORDON showing the number of prisoners confined in each cell on the night in question (Enclosure 10.)
In
This return shows the number of prisoners and the cubic space of each cell. presence of these figures we deem it unnecessary to offer any further comments on the question of overcrowding.
EDW. J. ACKROYD,
A. GORDON,
C. P. CHATER, PATRIC MANSON.