35
3522
(No. 44.)
SIB,
No. 18.
SIERRA LEONE.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR F. CARDEW.
*
[Answered by No. 25.]
Downing Street, February 22, 1898.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 23, of the 28th of January last, transmitting a return of corporal punishments inflicted in Freetown Gaol during the year 1897.
Certain of these cases seem to me, so far as I can judge from the description given, to be at variance with the principles laid down in my circular despatch of the 25th of May last. For instance, the cases numbered respectively 1, 4, 5, 14 and 23 in the return do not appear on the face of them to have been so exceptional as to call for such punishment. Also the cases numbered 10, 13, and 19 respectively, in which flogging is stated to have been inflicted as an additional punishment for burglary and larceny, are in contravention of my despatch, No. 58, of the 30th of March last, unless these were cases of second convictions, which is not stated to have been the case.
I should be glad if you would press upon the various officials concerned the necessity for exercising great discretion in such cases, and confining corporal punishment to instances where no other remedial measures would be of effect.
6185.
No. 20.
FIJI.
GOVERNOR SIR G. T. M. O'BRIEN to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received March 19, 1898.)
(No. 13.)
Government House, Suva, Fiji,
SIR,
February 2, 1898. IN reference to your circular despatch of 25th May, 1897, I have the honour to forward the enclosed return showing the number of cases in which corporal punishment was inflicted in Fiji during last year. It will be seen that since I arrived in the Colony flogging has been inflicted in only one case for any offence other than prison offences, and that for the latter class of offences flogging has been inflicted in four cases. Indian prisoners in the Suva gaol exhibited towards the end of the year' a very troublesome spirit, which threatened to become mutinous, and it was necessary to deal with it firmly and summarily in order to prevent its further developing.
I have, &c.,
The
G. T. M. O'BRIEN.
3625.
No. 19.
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
BRITISH GUIANA.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR W. J. SENDALL.
SIR,
(No. 57.)
[Answered by Nos. 35 ana' 42.]
Downing Street, March 7, 1898.
Mr attention has been called to the return of floggings, enclosed in Sir A. W. Hemming's despatch, No. 32, of the 31st of January last.f
The offences in the nature of prædial larceny, for which this punishment has been imposed by the magistrates, seems to have been trivial, and the punishment out of all proportion to the offence.
I shall be glad if you will enquire into the matter, and report when you have made full enquiry.
The maximum number of strokes which may be awarded by the law of the Colony at any one flogging, viz., 39, is very high.
I have, &c.,
"J. CHAMBERLAIN.
* No. 17
† 26119/96: not printed.
3625: not printed.
1
Enclosure in No. 20.
RETURN showing the Number of Floggings inflicted during the year 1897.
24
Name of Prisoner.
Date of Governor's Authority.
No. of
Nationality.
Strokes.
Instrument used,
Offence.
Sentenced by.
I roi...
30th Jan. Solomon
24
Islands.
Cat-o'-nine In a dwelling with in-
tails.
tent to annoy a fe-
Chief
Police
Magistrate.
male.
Iosaia
Do.
Fijian...
Do. Amarsingh... Etonia Waya
Do. 18th Feb.
Do.
Indian...
25th Feb.
Fijian
Sakco
24th Mar.
Do.
5 888
10
Do.
Larceny of three fowls
Do.
10
Do.
Larceny of five fowls
Do.
10
Do.
Malingering ...
Visiting Justice.
5
Do.
Assaulting bullock
Visiting Justice,
10
Do.
---
driver.
Disobeying orders;
having prohibited
Nadarivatu Gaol.
Do.
articles in his pos- session.
Gopal
Sanaila
5th April Indian...
3rd Aug. Fijian
10
Do.
Escaping from roads
gang.
Visiting Justice.
10
Do.
Found in a house with
Native Stipendi-
a child of six years,
with object of ob-
ary Magistrate
of Lomaiviti.
scenely misconduct-
Sultan
8th Nov.
Indian...
10
Do.
ing himself. Idling on public works,
Visiting Justice,
and threatening D.
Suva Gaol,
Yeoward.
Hasauraja
Do.
Do.
10
Do.
Idling on public works
Do.
Debi Behari
Do.
Do.
10
Do.
Defacing his cell
Do
8th Dec.
Do.
30
Do.
1. Refusing to obey
Do.
(Reduced
to 15 lashes
by order
of the
Governor.)
orders of medical officer. 2. Disobedi-
ence; using insolent and filthy language to warder. 3. Re-
fusing to work.
16177-5
E 2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.885
Reference :-
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO