64
The percentage of all offenders to the total number of admissions was 15.92, as compared with 11.30 for the year 1902. This shews an increase in the number of recidivists- of whom 877 had one previous conviction, 178 had two, and 103 had three. An improved and up-to-date system of identification to be inaugurated this year will probably indicate a greater number of re-convictions.
6. There were 16 deaths and 2 executions during the year, and 41 prisoners were released on medical grounds.
7. There were 79 juveniles admitted to the Goal during the year, 50 of whom were sentenced to 48 or 24 hours detention and to be whipped or to be whipped and discharged, and the remainder to various terms of imprisonment.
8. There were 1,530 punishments for breaches of Prison discipline being an average of 2.1 per prisoner, as compared with 1,971 with an average per prisoner of 3.42 for the preceding year There were 8 cases in which corporal punishment was awarded during the year, 5 of which were (with the birch rod) sentenced by the Assistant Superintendent alone, and 3 (with the cat-o'-nine-tails) sentenced by the same officer in conjunction with a Justice of the Peace. Notwithstanding the overcrowded state of the Gaol during the year, the averge number of reports has been the lowest on record and speaks well for the maintenance of discipline throughout the Prison.
9. The following Table shows the number of convicts confined in the Gaol on the 31st December, for the past six years :-
1898,
1899,
1900,
1901,
1902,
1903,
55
96
141
180
215
245
10. The following figures show the daily average number of prisoners confined in the Gaol during the past ten years:-
1894,
1895,
1896,
1897,
1898,
1899,
1900,
1901,
1902,
1903,
455
472
514
462
511
432
486
499
576
653
11. It will be observed that there has been an absolute increase during the year under report, the numbers being higher than any previous year, consequently the Gaol has been very much overcrowded. As a mean of relieving the congested state of the Gaol pending the erection of a Convict Prison, the Belilios Reformatory was fitted up as a temporary prison, and short sentence prisoners are now located in that building.
12. The following descriptions of labour are carried on :--
Knitting.
Painting and Whitewashing. Mat-inaking.
Printing.
Book-binding.
Carpentering.
Tinsmithing.
Washing.
Bootmaking.
Oakum-picking.