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Q--Are they placed there specially because of their good conduct or because they have some idea of medicine or of the way to attend people?
A-Because they are steady.
Q-Is a fresh rattan used on every prisouer?
A-No, one rattan.
Q-Is a fresh rattan used in the case of every prisoner?
A--One rattan would last for months, but there are several rattans kept in a bag.
Q-They get dirty then?
A-Split up.
Q-They get dirty---clotted with blood sometimes?
A--They are washed in water.
Q-Do not rattans get clotted with blood?
A-Yes.
Q-Are these rattans used without being cleaned?
A-No, they are dipped in water before they are used for flogging.
Q-Do you not think it would be advisable to have a fresh rattan for every flogging?
A-No doubt, but you would require a good many rattans for all the cases.
Q-They are not very dear and some could be bought.
A-Yes. You might keep a rattan in a separate fluid.
Q-What I am driving at is this. These rattans get clotted with blood and if they have been used on an unhealthy person they might retain some noxious matter, and such a rattan applied to the subsequent prisoner might do injury to that prisoner?
A-Yes.
Dr. ATKINSON-Have you any note of the weight of the first man, LAU A KAU. A-The hospital warder would be able to say, he keeps the book.
Hon. Commander HASTINGS-He is an Indian, is he not?
WITNESS-No, there is one Indian; the other is an Englishman-WILKINSON. Dr. ATKINSON-I would just like to ask you whether you think that the nursing is all that it ought to be in the Gaol?
WITNESS--Well, if you get trained nurses it would be better; but you cannot get them for such
a small
pay.
Q--You think it would be better if there were trained European wardmasters in the Gaol?
A-Yes.
Q-And you think that the hospital itself is not properly constructed as a hospital ? A-There should be a different building for some diseases and for prisoners under observation suspected to be suffering from infectious diseases or insanity.
THE CHAIRMAN-Is there anything you wish to add ?
WITNESS-I wish to call your attention-to ask you to examine the books at the gate to see what time I have spent in the hospital.
THE CHAIRMAN-Your personal conduct is not being questioned.
A-Some say I have neglected my duty and that I have been careless. THE CHAIRMAN-That is not what we have to go into.