441
L 2.
VICTORIA GAOL (MALES).
6. 22,998,811 forms were printed and issued to various Government Departments and 122,901 books bound or repaired as compared with 18,576.579 forms and 88,677 books in 1932. During the year type to the value of $350 was cast.
7. Other industries in the Prison included matmaking, tailoring, carpentering, tinsmithing, painting, laundering, shoe- making, netmaking and basketmaking, and the usual upkeep work of cooking; cleaning and minor building repairs.
8. The Gaol was again overcrowded.
9. The workshop accommodation is inadequate.
LAI CHI KOK PRISON (MALES).
10. Garden work continues to give useful employment. Other work done at Lai Chi Kok, apart from the esssential routine duties of cooking, cleaning, etc., included string and net making, basket and broom making and grass matmaking. Coir matmaking was successfully introduced in 1930 and the bulk of this work is now done at Lai Chi Kok.
11. There was no escape or attempt to escape.
12. Owing to a marked increase in prison population the building of a new Hall to accommodate if necessary 200 prison- ers, was approved.
FEMALE PRISON LAI CHI KOK,
13. This prison was also overcrowded. Although it was constructed to accommodate 120, (about double the daily average in custody in the old Female Prison) the number in the New Prison has frequently been over 200,
14. Female prisoners are employed chiefly on laundry work and mending. Weaving was introduced in March and satisfac- tory results have been obtained, but for want of accommodation the work can only be done on a small scale.
15. The Lady Visitors continue to attend regularly for in- structional purposes and their visits make a welcome and useful change to the monotony of imprisonment for the long sentence prisoners. Lady Sisters froin the Italian Convent attend on Saturdays and Lady Visitors of the Church Missionary Society attend on Sundays to give religious addresses. Their minis-
trations are much appreciated. The administration would again like to express thanks to all these ladies for their valued services.
L 3
GENERAL.
16. 433 punishments were awarded for breaches of prison discipline as compared with 603 for the preceding year. Corporal punishment was inflicted in three cases for prison offences.
17. Thirty-eight prisoners were whipped by order of
courts.
18. There was a marked increase in the number of prisoners convicted in the New Territory Courts, see Paragraph 4.
19. Owing to overcrowding in the prisons 1,307 males were released before expiration of sentence. Although the Female Prison was also overcrowded it was not found necessary to re- lease any women prematurely.
20. The discipline in all three prisons was good.
21. The health of the prisoners generally was well main- tained.
22. The conduct of the officers was on the whole very good.
23. The general health of the Staff was good.
24. The site for the new prison at Stanley is in course of preparation.
25. Mr. F. A. Hopkins, Assistant Superintendent of Prisons, administered the Department from 11th March to 2nd November during my absence on leave.
J. W. FRANKS, Superintendent of Prisons.
442