(94)
Q-Do you know that in an English prison there is no power to inflict a flogging vested in the Governor?
A-There is not.
Q-Can you give me your reason for vesting the Superintendent of Victoria Gaol with power to inflict twelve strokes?
A-I take it that it was never intended that Chinese prisoners should be treated in the same way as European prisoners, different treatment being necessary to ensure the maintenance of discipline, and so the power of whipping was given to the Superintend- I may add that the Superintendent of. the prison at Singapore has the same
power.
Q-Of course, you have never ordered a flogging without the sanction of the Surgeon?
A--Never.
Q-In your time has the Surgeon always delivered a written certificate of a pri- soner's fitness to be flogged?
A--Always.
Q--The system was in vogue when you came here?
A--It was.
Q--Are certificates always in this form?
A--Always.
Q--And always filled up according to the requirements of the form?
A--Always.
Q--Has the form of certificate been supplied by an act of Government?
A--I cannot say.
Q--Do you consider the particulars given in the certificate are adequate?
A--Absolutely.
Q--Have you had any occasion to object to the way in which the Surgeon has examined a prisoner before giving a certificate of fitness?
A---No.
Q--Would you undertake to govern Victoria Gaol and maintain strict discipline if you had not power to order flogging?
A-I would not.
Q--What are your reasons?
A--I consider that the power once having been given, unless there was some very good reason for taking it away, the power should not be taken away now from the Superintendent.
Q--You think, I suppose, that if it got to be known by the prisoners-and they would very soon find it out-that you could not inflict corporal punishment ou your own initiative, they would consider that your power of inflicting punishment in other ways would be proportionately decreased? It might have that effect for a time?
A--They would very soon find out that my power had not been altered. I dare say they might think it altered in other respects.
Q-It would probably leave that impression and the result would be that you would have a much larger number of cases for punishment in other ways for a short time?