February 18, 1899.]
WATER RETURN.
LEVEL AND STORAGE OF WATER IN RESER- VOIRS ON THE 1ST FEBRUARY.
-1898.
LEVEL.
1899.
Tytam......1(ft. Gin, below overflow :1ft. Giu. below overflow
Tytam Pokfulam
ETORAGE GALLONS.
Pokfulam 3ft, sin, below overflow 4ft. 8in. below overflow
1898.
1899. 305,000,000 226,620.000 57,880,000 15,900,000
Total
862,880,000 242,520,000 CONSUMPTION OF WATER IN THE CITY OF VICTORIA AND HILL DISTRICT DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
1898.
Consumption
85,644,000
Estimated popu-
lation.....
193,000
Consumption per
head per day...
14.3
CONSUMPTION OF WATER
JANUARY.
1898.
Consumption
6,133,000
Estimated popu.
lation Consumption per
25.300
IN KOWLOON
PENINSULA DURING THE MONTH OF
7.8
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
in 1897 3,108, of whom 1,697 served the im- | prisonment and 1,411 paid the fine, and in 1898 8,575, of whom 1.815 served the imprisonment and 1,760 paid the fine after reception into Gaol.J
With a view to decreasing the number of prisoners confined in Guol in default of payment of fines, I have suggested legislation such as has recently been introduced at home, allowing part payment of a fine to Le equivalent to serving a proportionate part of the sentence of imprisonment in default.
There were 4,038 reports made by prison officers against prisoners for offences against prison discipline, as compared with 2,619 reports for the previous year.
-
A proportion of the increase is directly due to the increased population of the gnol in 1898, 1892.
audi attribute the remainder of the increased re- 96,225,000 gals. poris to the following conditions which rendered
difficult the enforcement of strict discipline :- 198,500
() The location of a larger number of . prisoners in association while the work 15.6 gals,
of sub-dividing the cells, which is referred to in paragraph 8, was in progress, (b) The interruption of the regular routine of labour by this and other structural improvements on a lige scale that have been carried out during the year. (c) The numerous changes in the Indian gaol staff to which I have adverted in C.SO. 1647/1897. Discipline cannot be maintained by inexperience.t officers. The returns which are appended show a con- siderabic increase in ass ults on each other, on prison officers, by prisoners, and in the offence of having tobacco.
1899. 5,319,000 gals.
26,500 head per day...
6.4 gals. Owing to shortness of water the supply in Kowloon Peninsular has Leeu intermittent since the 6th of January.
The Government Analyst reports that the water is of excellent quality.
The public are asked to do what they can to prevent waste.
R. D. ORMSRY,
Water Authority.
THE GAOL HIP. RT,
The report of the Superintendent of Victoria Goal (Hon. F. H. May) for 1898 was laid on the table at the meeting of the Legislative Council on the 8th inst. from which we make the following extracts:-
The number of prisoners admitted to the Goal during the past year under sentence of the ordinary Courts was 4,976, besides 69 soldiers and sailors sentenced by Courts Mart.al. There were 51 persons imprisoned for debt and $31 in default of finding security, making a total of 5,427. Of these, 760 were old offenders, in- oluding 13 juveniles who were merely sent to the Gaol to be whipped by order of the Magi- strate, and were detained pending the infliction of the whipping, leaving a total of 757 old offenders who actually underwent imprisonment. There was altogether 69 juveniles sent to the Gaol merely to be whipped and arrange- ments have now been made with the sanction of the Governor by which such juveniles are whipped immediately on reception in the outer court of the Gaol. They do not now enter the Gaol nor are they detained beyond the time actually necessary for whipping.
The corresponding numbers for the preceed- ing year were respectively as follows:-Con. victed by the ordinary Courts 4,711, by Courts -Martial 48, Debtors 54, in default of finding security 268; total 5,076, including 666 old offenders.
The daily average number of prisoners con- fined in the Gaol, during the year was 511, us compared with 462 for 1897.
The number of prisoners committed t the goal for offences not of a criminal nature was 1,837 made up as follow'S — Committed under the Prepared Opiun Ordi). ance, 505; Market Ordinance, 210; Vehicle Ordinance, 39; Sanitary bye-laws, 186; Hur- bour regulations, 92; for trespass, 4; for drunkenness, 158, for disorderly conduct, 513.
A table is given showing the number of prisoners who were committed to guol without the option of a fine and in default of payment of fines, the number committed without the option of a fine being 2,029 in 1896, 1,968 in 1897, and 1,852 in 1898, while there were in- prisoned in default of paying files in 1896 3,063. of whom 1,928 served the imprisonment and 1,425 paid the fine after reception into Guol;
The number of cases of assault on prison officers was twe, which is below the : verage.
The number of assaults by prisoners on each other shows a large increase. 'The assaults were, however, with one exception, of a trivial nature, and arose out of petty disputes between prisoners engaged together on unaccustomed work in connection w.th the structural altera- tions iu, and additions to, the Gaol.
The increase in the offence of having tobacco is due to the fact that at various periods during the year, there were a certain number of free men engaged on work in the Gnol.
The following improvements, referred to in paragraph 16 of my Report for 1897, have been completed during the year under review almost entirely by prison labour at what must be re- garded as the small cost of $15,000 :-
(a) On the site of D wing, a large two- storied workshop has been erected the upper floor of which is used as a printing shop while the ground floor is devoted to mat making.
The workshop was much needed, and has rendered possible a useful extension of industrial labour.
(b) The sub-division of association cells into sparate cells has been completed. There are now 427 separate cells in the Gaol, and 26 association cells, giving accommodation for 453 prisoners in separate confinement, and for 164 extra prisoners by placing 5 prisoners in each Association cell, or a total of 557 pri-
sopers.
(c) The officers' quarters inside the Gaol have been converted into a commedious bospital, and offices for the Chief War- der and Clerks, but the hospital is still occupied by the Indian staff pending the building of quarters for them outside the Gaol.
(d) What was formerly the Chief Warder's and Clerks' offices, has been turned into a reception room with cells attached. (e) The old hospital, which is above the female prison, has been prepared for the reception of female prisoners as an ex- tension to the existing female prison. It is, however, still occupied by male prisoners pending the removal of the hospital to the new accommodation pro- vided for it.
(f) Certain alterations in the yards round A and B balls (the Gao) extension) have been made to prevent escapes, and a ̈useful addition to the yards space between
the two balls has been centrived.
|
·199
effected by prison labour, having been under-
aken before the end of the year -
In the Lower East yard the ramp is being entirely removed affording a site for a new and enlarged laundry, which it is proposed to build, and additional yard space for the laundry work, while the old laundry will be converted into a shed for general labour.
When the above work has been completed, it is proposed to demolish B wing and to erect in its place a new hall. B wing con- tains 1b association cells and 2 separate cells. The new ward would contain 76. separate cells, and, being much more compact, would enable an increase in space in the upper yard. It is also pro- posed to cover in the centre of the upper yard as a protection against sun and rain in summer time.
With the erection of the proposed new ward, th Gaol would contain 500 separate cells and 11 81ociation celle, the latter being repable of accommoda- ting 55 prisoners, or a total of 556. The Gaol could then be conducted almost
entirely on the separate system. The fact that the capacity of the Gaol accom modation does not exceed $57 prisoners is one that should not be lost sight of, and when it is remembered that it is necessary to have space necon medation in the Gael to meet the demirds of any emergency, it is evident that with a ra pidly growing population and the acquisition of new territory, the question of increasing the Gaol accommodation for the colony is one that already demands the attention of Government.
During the year one Chinese prisoner suc- ceeded in esceping, and two others attempted to escape, but were re-captured by prison officers, Ly scaling the boundary wall of the Gaol extension.
Structural additions have Low been made which will render escapes from the sane locality very difficult.
I be profite on industriel laber amounted to $6.04.19, as compared with 32,610.08 in the preceding year. The increase is principally due which now executes the job printing required the extension of the Printing Department by the Government and the Military Authori.
ties.
dian statt was due to the men throwing up The large number of resignations in the Įn. their appointment to seek more lucrative øm- ployment elsewhere.
Vacancies in the European sirf Lave, with one exception, that of a Hospital Worden, been filled by local candidates drawn from the Army, Some promising officers have been thus ac- quired.
:
The year has been an exceptionally busy one in the Gaol, and the large works referred to in paragraph 8, carried out rs they were, simul taneously with a high daily average, and at times excessive na mber of prisoners-the daily average in July was 5E9 and on two occasions during that month the number reached 589—entailed a great deal of new and unaccustomed work on officers.
Credit is due to all for their share in the labour, but the service rendered by the Chief Warder in immediately directing and supervis ing the work deserves special notice.
Mr. Craig assisted me with many valuable suggestions in connection with the various works, and to his technical knowledge and unfailing industry and resource is largely due the successful accomplishment of an undertak- ing of no small magnitude.
CYCLE TOURNAMENT.
On Friday afternoon one of the best exhibi- tious in cycling ever seen in the colony was given at Quarry Bay Kecreation Ground, under the, auspices of the Taikoo Club. The weather was perfect and to a great extent took away many who might have found their way to Quarry Bay bad it been too cold for picnics, &c. 2 MILES BICYCLE RACE (HANDICAP); first
prize presented; second prize presented.
R. A. Ferguson, 520 yards
J. M. Roza Pereira, 420 yards F. M. Reza Pereira, 350 yards Out of 18 entries 12 pace of this race was fast front
The following improvements are being' now...
and
was
fairly mana
Liith wis