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2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
'rison buildings.
Jammocks.
tocks.
the Demerara, and the Essequebo Rivers for several miles, and I have not seen anywhere a site which offers so many advantages for a penal Settlement as Massaruni.
It is no small advantage that, after the probationary term of separate confinement is passed, the prisoners can be usefully and beneficially employed in the granite quarries which lie immediately round the buildings. There is, as your Lordship is aware, an almost unlimited demand for the stone for completing the sea defences* of Georgetown. Those convicts whose strength is not equal to the severe labour of the quarries are employed in agriculture. Mr. Sealy has extended the provision grounds round the Settlement, and cultivated with success sweet potatoes, plantains, and other vegetables for the use of the prison. He has also established a farin-yard where oxen and cows, goats and pigs and poultry are reared in small quantities in order to supply the patients in the prison hospital and the lepers at Kaow Island with meat and milk. The care of the stock is a good employment for the weaker convicts. An accurate account of the consumption of the stock bought for the establishment or reared there is kept and sent periodically to the Auditor-General.
18. Mr. Sealy appears to have been fortunate also in stimulating the industry of the convicts employed in the quarries, for the quantity of stone supplied the present year was "as 3 to 1, when compared with that of 1873." (Auditor-General's Report annexed). Mr. Pollard, the Colonial Civil Engineer, informs me that he is now receiving from the Settlement 1,000 tons per mouth—a larger supply than he has ever had before, while the men appear to work better. The Attorney-General in his Report states that "the men appeared to work as cheerfully as one could expect." Careful records are kept of the work of all the convicts and they quite understand that, under the mark system, it is competent for themselves to earn by industry a remission of part of their sentence.
19. If a superintendent as well qualified as Mr. Sealy, a competent staff' of officers, and, above all, efficient frequent inspection, can be secured, I see no reason to apprehend a recurrence of the disorders which have justly given the place such a bad reputation.
(Extract.)
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. R. LONGDEN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 33.
Memorandum for information of the Governor.
ON Tuesday the 29th September I inspected the Penal Settlement at Massaruni. I went through all the buildings, and I inquired into the cases of the prisoners that I found in the cells undergoing special punishment for breaches of prison discipline.
I found the cells and interior of the buildings generally in a state of cleanliness and order, that reflected great credit upon the Superintendent, Mr. Scaly. The cells in the wooden prison struck me as being too large, and I think that every four of the present cells in that building might be beneficially converted into five. In the Stone Prison I found that each prisoner has the luxury of a hammock to sleep in. To me this was a novelty. In my judgment it is a luxury that should not be given. I presume that the practice arose from the fact of the floor of the cell being paved with tilest instead of being boarded. I think the floors should be boarded and the use of hammocks abolished. Apart from the luxury of such a bed, I view the use of hammocks and especially hammocks furnished with cord clews as these are-as highly objectionable, particularly in a prison in which coolies are confined; for they are thus afforded a ready means at any moment of indulging their favourite propensity for hanging themselves.
There are no dark cells; and there is no separate building in which violent and noisy prisoners could be confined. Mr. Scaly complains of the want of such accom- modation, and suggests that the building at present used as a blacksmith's shop might be converted to the purpose. I concur with him in this proposition.
I found the peculiar instrument of punishment called “the stocks" placed in an opening of one of the corridors. Mr. Sealy informs me that he has only had recourse to this means of punishment upon three or four occasions since he has been at the Settle-
* i. e. the seawall and graynes for preventing the inundation of the city.
+ This is The men are not allowed mattrasses, and the medical officers in the prisons generally object
to the prisoners sleeping on stone or tile pavements.-J. R. I..
‡ I would prefer a building designed for the purpose. The blacksmith's shop is not suitable, and could be ill spared.-J. It. L.
ment, and that under existing circumstances he would be sorry to see the stocks abolished, for they are the only effectual means he has of restraining noisy and violent prisoners. If a detached building be fitted up with dark cells, he would not care to continue the use of the stocks.
Admirable as was the state in which I found the cells and prison buildings, I was Workshops and not so well satisfied with the workshops and other buildings outside. I think many store room. improvements might be here effected.
The store room and issue room were in a terrible state of disorder and confusion; everything appeared to be uppermost and nothing at hand. The place for any particular article appeared to be just where there happened to be room for it. Mr. Scaly accounted for part of this state of things by the fact of the Steward and Issuer being under suspension, and there being only an acting man temporarily employed to attend to the issues; but he assured me that he was giving his best attention to the matter, and he hoped in a very short space of time to produce a complete change. When I spoke to the steward-upon whose case I have reported in a separate paper-and told him that he might return to his duty, I also spoke about the state of the store room, and found great fault with it, and I cautioned him to bring about such a change that it might present a very different appearance at the next inspection, which he promised should be done.
The hospital is over the chapel. There were twenty patients in the ward when I Hospital. inspected it. The accommodation in this ward seems fair enough, but the dispensary arrangements are very bad. Mr. Scaly is engaged in building a new chancel to the chapel, and on the hospital floor he purposes to devote the additional space which this will give to a dispensary. This will be a great improvement.
Above the hospital floor the space is devoted to private patients taken in for medical
aid and on the score of humanity, such aid being otherwise unattainable.
He was
There were two such patients on the day I visited the hospital; one was an old white man, an Englishman, who lives entirely alone on a neighbouring island. seen staggering about the beach by a passing boat, and would no doubt have died had he not been brought to the Settlement,
The necessities of the case very probably justify an arrangement of this kind, but I think that such patients should be accommodated in a separate building.+
The kitchen I found to be clean, and everything in good order. The general Kitchen. arrangements, however, struck me as being inconvenient, and Mr. Sealy said that such was the case, and that he had the matter in mind with a view to improvement.
I went all over the Farm," as it is called, with Mr. Sealy. His efforts in the Farm. cultivation of vegetables appear to be successful, and he has made an experiment with rice, which promises well. He has been very successful in breeding pigs, and I think that it would be well if he would do more in this way.
The cattle bred at the Settlement appear to thrive and to do well; but nothing can
be more miserable than the appearance of the cattle and sheep sent to the Settlement they are nothing but animated skeletons,
I view it as merely wasting money to purchase eattle or sheep to send to the Settle- ment for any other purpose than early slaughter. I think that the cultivation of grass might be extended, and possibly a little more attention might be given to it.
Industrial
The various industrial occupations were being actively followed at the Settlement. I append a statement showing the distribution of the prisoners on the day of my occupations. inspection.
I inquired into the cases of the prisoners undergoing punishment for breaches of Prisoners under prison discipline. I found nothing to take exception to, and the complaints made to me punishment. by one or two men had nothing in them requiring notice.
With reference to the matter of diet, it struck me that the bread ration was of far General remarks. too good quality. It is made wholly of the best flour. I obtained a small loaf, which Bread ration. I ate with my dinner; it was, without exception, the best bread I have eaten since I have been in the Colony.
I would submit that about 80 per cent. of corn-meal should be mixed with the flour; such a mixture makes a good, nutritious, although perhaps somewhat coarse bread, and would cause a considerable saving to be effected.
I think that the quarters of the subordinate officers and warders of the prison are for Quarters of
the most part inconveniently situated. Some of the buildings are very unsuitable, and worders.
• Since altered and much improved,—J. R. I..
† I concur in this, and propose to establish a cottage hospital without the prison for these cases.-J. R. L.
This was tried, but gave rise to much complaint; see Reports of Attorney-General and Auditor-General.
It has been persevered in, and the men are getting used to it.-J. R. L.
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