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No. 688.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, 5th May, 1896.
I am directed to forward the enclosed extract from the Acting Colonial Surgeon's annual report, and to inform you that His Excellency the Governor desires that in future, when prisoners are whipped by order of the Superintendent, a smaller number of strokes should, as a general rule, be inflicted than has hitherto been customary.
THE SUPERINTENDENT,
VICTORIA GAOL.
I have, &c.,
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
Extract from Acting Colonial Surgeon's Annual Report.
The number of prisoners admitted to the Hospital was less than in 1894, the figure being 231 as compared with 271.
"Of those treated in the Hospital 45 were suffering from malarial fever, 24 from "ancemia, whilst there were 15 contused wounds from flogging and 12 gluteal abscesses "the result of flogging.
"I would submit for consideration the advisability of more frequent floggings of a "şınaller number of strokes at a time; there was only one case of gluteal abscess the "result of flogging in 1894, therefore either the punishment must have been inflicted "more vigorously or the subjects were of poorer physique.
J. M. ATKINSON,
“Acting Colonial Surgeon.”