(70)
A--Well, of course, conspiracy in the prison to assault and break out of the prison or anything of that kind, or to destroy property. Of course, it is a general term; it never really occurred. The only mutiny that I have had any experience of is what I say I believed was the conspiracy on the part of a large number of prisoners to refuse to do the labour.
Q- Did you order many floggings on account of personal violence offered to any officer of the prison?
A-Not very many.
Q--Was that a common kind of offence?
A--Not very common.
Q--Did you order floggings for aggravated or repeated acts of violence by prisoners?
A--Now and again.
Q--Is that common?
A-Not very common.
Q--Did you order floggings for repetition of threatening language by a prisoner?
A--Yes; it is not very common.
Q--Supposing a man indulges in profane cursing and swearing and obscene
language?
water.
A-If it was ordinary Chinese cursing I have sent them in for three days rice and
Q--Supposing he went on in the same way and was reported three or four times over for profane cursing and swearing and obscene language, how would you punish
him?
A--I expect it would have to come to flogging. I do not recollect any such case. The only case that I remember having inflicted flogging in was the case of a European— a ship's boy-who used the foulest language towards the officer in charge of the party. I had told him that if he used such language on a second occasion he would be flogged.
Q--Had you any power at all to flog him for such an offence?
A--I think so.
Q-Under what?
A-I should say if it does not come under repetition of threatening language- Q-That is quite a distinct thing. In sub-sections 3 and 5 you will find swearing and obscene language in one category, and insulting or threatening language in another category.
A-As I have said before I should say that the repetition of offences which come under Rule 270 can be dealt with under Rule 274.
Q--That was the way you interpreted the Rules? A-That was the way I interpreted the Rules.
Q-What do you think insubordination comprises?
A 1 should say any act whatever against the rules of the Gaol. It is in the discretion of the Superintendent to judge whether it is an act of insubordination which requires extraordinary powers to suppress.
Q-Supposing there was repeated indecent behaviour by any prisoner, how would you punish that prisoner?