There will hardly be any necessity to refer to
n. a
Toast
As regards the plan of building, we should
send out the account
Wormwood Scrubs
which is enclosed, and we should also
ask the Straits
government
to have copies
8028190
of their prison plans made out and sent to Hongkong.
The plans which we have
to Hongkong
12710-78 were slightly modified on instructions
from home but I do not think revised copies
were sent here.
As regards the
size of sleeping cells in
the tropics I should send a copy of despatch to Mauritius no. 129. 48 Apr. 82. [6811]
and as
regards cells the size of
cells for living in both
by day
and night during
early stages of confinement (some of which
should be provided ) I should send a copy
of a despatch to the Straits no. 236. 9 Oct. 79 [15012]
In
my former minute I omitted to notice that at present the population of Hongkong shows signs of declining, this however is probably temporary & it would hardly be safe
to take it into consideration
in determining the amount of prison accommodation to be provided. However
I would
certainly
try
to lessen the no.
of
prisoners to the extent of trying to abolish
imprisonment for debt! The vagrants have been dealt with separately.
Draft as above, embodying Sir M. Ommarney's minute, and say that the official majority is if necessary
to be used to
carry
the scheme through.
15 Nov.
I need not say anything
about
official majority. No imperial
interest
is involved. If the Chinese
don't like the jail, they can leave
Hongkong
and go to the mainland,
I merely hope that often wending
a despot's word is in their hand