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mention that a very large proportion of the great outlay which has been (and still is) expended on preparing stone for the Police Barracks and Governor's residence might have been saved had the stone been dressed by convict labour in the quarries.
In the Royal Gaol of Trinidad stone breaking is the only which can be called penal, and I strongly recommend that both the treadwheel and shot-drill should be introduced hero without delay.
They should form the principal elements of " hard labour" for all prisoners under short sentences, and might of course be used in other cases whenever thought advisable.
I am well aware that objections may be raised to both these modes of punish- ment on the ground of climate, and the weak constitutions of some of our convicts, but it seems to me that, under the direction of the medical officer, no danger need be apprehended, at all events to either Creoles or Africans. I do not think that it would be safe, however, to apply the treadwheel or shot-drill to Asiatics indiscriminately, they being in this country extremely liable to rupture of the spleen, even from most trivial causes; but I notice that in the Bengal prisons the weaving of gunny bags has been adopted as a most efficient form of penal labour, and I think that some similar work might be introduced here for those prisoners whose constitutions are too feeble to bear the treadwheel.
As for females undergoing short sentences, nothing but severe punishment will have the slightest effect upon them.
The present hard labour (F), which consists of sewing and washing, can have no terrors for women who have utterly lost all sense of shame, and who glory in their degradation.
It is not easy to suggest a punishment which shall be severe, and at the same time applicable to females, but I certainly recommend complete separation from each other by night, and by day work in association, but perfect silence, which to a woman is at all times irksome.
I insist the more strongly upon total separation by night, as experience has unfor- tunately taught those connected with the gaol that a fearful amount of depravity is practised between these women when in unwatched association.
I would also suggest the substitution of oakum picking for sewing and washing, or, at all events, that some really laborious work should be given them.
It must not be lost sight of that in this country women work like men, as field hands, or at the mill door, and are quite able to endure very hard work.
With regard to the prisoners undergoing long sentences, I think our present system works efficiently, though I am in favour of subjecting every convict under long sentence to a probationary period of confinement in his cell, on the separate system, before allowing him to work in association with others.
Return C shews the manner in which the prison labour has been distributed throughout the year 1873, as well as the amount of money earned by the prisoners.
open.
Convict Depots.
During the year 1873 the two convict depôts of Chaguanas and Irois were kept
Chuguanas,
This most important depôt has continued to be of great service; not only is it a source of profit to the Colony, but it really is a penal settlement, for the work is there hard and continuous, and dreaded by the convicts.
It consists of forming and making the tramway which leads from the bay side up to the depôt buildings, hauling out heavy timber from the forest, and loading the tramway trucks, &c., as well as cutting traces in the forest for the purpose of getting out the timber.
The general conduct of both officers and prisoners at the depot throughout the year has been on the whole satisfactory. The division of the wards into separate cells is a very great improvement, but I beg to repeat that it appears to me incumbent on the authorities to provide for the religious and moral instruction of those amongst the prisoners who are (nominally, at least) Christians, and that we incur a grave responsi- bility by keeping prisoners at a place like Chaguanas for long periods without any attempt being made to provide them with mental instruction of any kind.
It is true that the senior turnkey is supposed on Sundays to read the Service of the Church of England to the prisoners of that denomination, but it is likely that this duty, if performed at all, will be performed in the most perfunctory manner;
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and even if the reverse were the case, it would, in my opinion, be a very poor substi- tute for the ministrations of a clergyman, besides laying the authorities open to an accusation of a tendency to proselytism.
Irois.
The work here was the same as during previous years, viz. :-agricultural labour. This depôt was closed on 31st December, and a new convict settlement opened at Carrera's Island.
The value of the convict labour at these two depôts during the year is thus stated :-
Chaguanas, 21,215 days at 13. Irois, 15,906 at 6d.
11
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Juvenile Offenders.
£ ". d. 1,060 15 0
397 13 0
1,458 8 0
The annexed table D. shews an alarming increase over previous years of juvenile offenders, as well as recommitments of those previously convicted.
I had entertained sanguine hopes that the commencement of this year would have seen the opening of the much needed Reformatory and Industrial Schools, but I regret that objections raised by one or two individuals (and which appear to me to be of the most frivolous nature) against the proposed site in the valley of St. Ann's, have caused the whole question to be indefinitely postponed.
In the meantime the evil is increasing and developing, and before long we shall reap the bitter fruits of this procrastination.
I consider it so important that the Executive should be kept aware of the steady increase of this great evil that I supplement the return of Juvenile Offenders committed in 1873, by another Table E. shewing the number committed up to 10th April, 1874.
Health, Sickness, and Death.
The report of the medical officer of the gaol gives full information on these points, and the only suggestion that I would make in connection with it is that it would be far better, except for very serious diseases, that prisoners when ill should be treated in their cells. The comparative comfort of the hospital, and the relaxation of discipline which must take place there, offer great inducements to malingerers, and I believe that many plots either of escape from gaol or for future robberies after discharge are hatched in the hospital wards.
I may add that the hospital, both in size and general accommodation, is quite dis- proportionate, not only to tlie necessities of the gaol, but to the rest of the buildings generally.
Education and Religious Instruction.
The report and returns furnished by the teacher are attached and appear satis- factory. I use the word appear advisedly, for I am bound to say that my experience as Inspector of Prisons and Chief Officer of Police of the Island has not included one instance in which I can say that the lessons learned in the gaol school room, have had any perceptibly good effect upon the prisoner's after life.
Concluding Remarks.
I am well aware that my opinion may be looked upon as that of one who is brought into continual contact with the worst side of human nature, and therefore to be received with some caution, but I am convinced that the magistrates and elergy of the Colony will hear me out when I assert that for the lower classes of this community the physical terrors of the gaol are few, the moral terror nil.
Imprisonment in the gaol, when accompanied by hard labour, is not looked upon as a disgrace, and a convict who comes out of prison, after one or two years' penal servitude, resumes his place in society with no more difficulty than if he had been absent for the same period in a neighbouring colony.
Of course in such a state of things there is one advantage,—the facility which a dis- charged prisoner has here of obtaining work on his release, whereas in the old countries the reverse has been one of the greatest difficulties with which those anxious for the future well-being of the man have had to contend; but this advantage, great though it be, cannot compensate for the fact that no sense of moral degradation attaches here to the prison dress, or even to the fhet of having been an inmate of the gaol.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O. 88
Reference -
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