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166

not being bound to adhere rigidly to the rules of evidence as laid down for the guidance of other Courts.

Depositions Received.~Offences, and how disposed of.

Table No. 2 of the return shows that 183 persons were committed by the Magis- trates for trial before the Superior Courts. The following statement shows how they were dealt with:-

Indicted before the Superior Courts

Remitted to combined Courts for trial

--

Remitted to Magistrates' Courts for trial

Remitted to Courts of Administrator of Native Law for trial

Declined to prosecute

Europeans

Natives

Suicides.

Accidental and Sudden Deaths.

The cases of suicide were as follows:-

Europeans Natives

:::::

:::::

:::::

::

55 65

20

1

19

163

3

4

167

committed for trial, and afterwards indicted for the crime of murdering his companion. The jury at the trial considered that the evidence substantiated a charge of culpable homicide, which they gave as their verdict, and further recommended him to mercy.

The most serious case was that of a native in the Inanda Division, who, in the most unprovoked and barbarous manner, murdered a native woman and her son, eight or ten years of age, with an assegni. The bodies of both victims were found pierced in six or eight places, revealing the horrid brutality of their assailant. He was tried and con- demned to death at the Durban Circuit Court in October. A charge of rape committed upon another native woman, under circumstances of great violence, was withdrawn upon this sentence being passed upon this prisoner.

A second native was tried, at the same circuit, for deliberately stabbing another native and causing his death, but he was convicted only of the lesser crime of culpable homicide.

A third native was found guilty of the murder of his wife, at the Durban Circuit in December, and sentenced to death, which has been commuted to imprisonment for ten years.

There is nothing special to remark upon the cases of manslaughter, of which there were five during the year. The accused consisted of four Kafirs and one Hottentot, and the sentences ranged from one month to five years' imprisonment with hard labour.

The majority of the cases against property occurred on the coast, twenty persons, mostly natives, being indicted before the Durban Circuit Court, for shop and house- breaking, and theft.

M. H. GALLWEY, Attorney-General.

(Signed)

12

March 1, 1875.

ཐ ༷༅ ུ༼ ུ

1,079

3

183

688

676

5 116

555

32911 2 139

147

347

230 110

154

Bo

74

341

Greyjown

168

Richmand

131

Newcastle

84

62

::::::

12

329

334

26

142

15

59

25

45

17

Alfred..

12

12

Total

2,783 11 911 1,099

391 59 87 23 344

402 83 18

8

Men

Women

Juveniles

48

2,725 11 883 1,876

133

16 J01 12 22

368 42 33 23

2016 53

341 19 1,699

2

2 100 402 83 18

H

3 i 1

1

22

21 1,821

3

10

19 | 32

Once.

Gaols and Prisoners, 1874.

STATISTICAL RETURN for the Prisons of Natal, for 1874.

Number Committed for Debt,

Wunt of Bail, and

Punishment.

Total Number of Persons Committed

For Debt.

For safe Custody till

Trial, or for want of

For purposes of

Penal Imprison-

Security.

Number of those Committed who have

Number of Persons Committed to Penal Imprisonment, “ including "Penal Servitude"

(if that term is used in the

been previously

any

Convicted.

Colony to describe

Punishment.)

Twice.

Thrice or more.

For Five Years or

albre

For One Year or

- more, bot less than

96

10 778

168

224

8 3105 1311

31

110

7

7

335

33

8

3

104

For more than Three

Months, and has than One Year.

For Three Months

Five Years.

នឌី៖ = = = = ទទឹង or less,

++

The Daily Average Number in

Prisou.

Hospital during the Year 1874.

The Number of Admissions to

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀4 The Daily Average on the Sick List.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀NwThe Number

Deaths during 1874.

The accidental and sudden deaths reported were as follows:-

There are no Coroners' inquests in this Colony in cases of sudden deaths, but in all cases in which reports are made an official examination is instituted, conducted by the Magistrates, the Clerks of the Peace, and the District Surgeons, in their several depart- ments; and I have every reason to believe that everything that the circumstances of the Colony will admit of being carried out, is properly attended to by the officers. This subject was reported on by me on the 11th July last for the information of the Secretary of State.

Apprehensions.

An increase of 64:45 per cent. is noticeable under this head as compared with the preceding year, and is not confined to one district, but prevailed, in a greater or less ratio, throughout the Colony. For instance, in the Division of Tugela the increase was 137.73 per cent.; in Durban, 87.5 per cent.; in Pietermaritzburg, 61 82 per cent.; and in Inanda, 25*25 per cent. A large proportion of this increase is no doubt in some degree due, as pointed out by me last year, to the establishment of two additional Magistracies, with all the requisite machinery for the detection of crime and the appre- hension of offenders; but as the greatest increase has been in offences classified as "other offences," it must be considered as chiefly arising from the larger increase in the borough constabulary of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, and the consequent more numerous detections of the infringements of the borough bye-laws.

Punishments.

The punishments awarded in the several Magistrates' Courts, in proportion to the convictions, were as follows:-

Punishments.

Name and Nature of the Prisons, (Whether "* Common

Gaol," "Penitentiary," &c.) Mera "Lock-up" not to be inserted.

Durban (Central Gaol) Pietermaritzburg Estcourt

Verulam

Stanger

Ladysmith

Umzinto

Convictions.

Offences against the person

790

757 or 95-82 per cent.

Offences against property

397

300 98.23

11

Offences under Masters' and Servants' Act Other offences

1,280

1,081 8-1-45

1

3,285

2,825 86.00

11

Conspicuous Cases.

In the

Four persons, one European, and three natives, were indicted for murder. case of the former the accused and deccased lived together on a farm in one of the upper districts of the Colony. The disappearance of the deceased, and the discovery of partly charred human remains, led to an investigation, which resulted in the accused being

By" Penal Imprisonment" is meant imprisonment inflicted as a substantive punishment, in pursuance of a sentence of a Court of Justice, as distinguished from imprisonment for safe custody, &c.

† One execution, not included above.

Made up chiefly of vagrant Hottentot women.

Thirty soldiers under sentence of Court Martial, included.

This number includes all prisoners belonging to Langalibalele's and Putili's tribes, who were temporarily

detained in gaol until sent to Maritzburg.

There were 24 during the whole year.

** Including 42 who received lashes and were released; and 69 who paid a fine.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.88

885

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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