5. The following table shows the numbers of male and female prisoners on Dec. 31st serving sentences of various terms for each of the last five years.
Year One month or less Over 1 month and not exceeding 6 months Over 6 months & not exceeding 2 years Over 2 years Total 1933 M. 133 F. 23 M. 252 F. 28 M. 345 F. 30 M. 138 F. 4 M. 868 F. 85 1934 M. 158 F. 44 M. 316 F. 52 M. 347 F. 41 M. 141 F. 2 M. 962 F. 139 1935 M. 193 F. 28 M. 318 M. 772 F. 81 M. 362 F. 87 M. 189 F. 12 M. 1,653 F. 208 1936 M. 256 F. 22 M. 283 F. 89 M. 965 F. 94 M. 197 F. 2 M. 1,701 F. 207 1937 M. 310 F. 34 M. 637 F. 73 M. 1,327 F. 105 M. 316 F. 17 M. 2,590 F. 229The increase in the number of prisoners is chiefly due to a large number of convictions for larceny, hawking, and forestry offences. The political situation in China and the influx of refugees is possibly the cause of many of the convictions.
HONG KONG PRISON & VICTORIA GAOL (MALE)
6. 20,068,100 forms were printed and issued to various Government departments and 125,157 books bound or repaired as compared with 18,756,843 forms and 88,002 books in 1936. During the year important printing work hitherto done by the Government Printers was satisfactorily performed by the Prison Printery.
7. Other industries included matmaking, tailoring, carpentering, tinsmithing, painting, laundering, shoemaking, netmaking and basketmaking. Prisoners were also employed on the usual routine upkeep work, including minor building repairs.
8. The prisons were as usual overcrowded.
9. The workshop accommodation of Victoria Gaol was inadequate but that of Hong Kong Prison is adequate under normal conditions.
10. The Hong Kong Prison at Stanley was opened in January and was then partly occupied. This prison was not fully occupied until September.
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