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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference-

C.O.885

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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ADDENDA.

Reports of Medical Officers of Prisons.

Dr. Clarke, Town Hall and Glendairy Prisons, states "The sanitary state of the Town Hall Prison, and the Glendairy Prison, has for the past year been satisfactory, and there has been no prevailing disease. The deaths in the Town Hall have been seven- one of dropsy, two of consumption, two from ulcerated legs, one of inflammation of the lungs, and one of inflammation of the bowels. At the Glendairy Prison amongst the males two deaths have occurred--one of tubercularis, and one from dropsy with disease of the mucus membrane, and amongst the females one from fever. All these may be said to be unavoidable."

Dr. Greenidge, District C. Prison, states "The Prison appears to be a healthy one, no disease arising within its walls. The chief disorders are sore legs from ill-conditioned health, which usually get well before dismissed. One death occurred during the year 1874."

Dr. Moore, District D Prison, states-"I beg so state that the sanitary condition of District D Prison for the past year has been exceedingly good, and that no special disease has prevailed, the cases which have come under my notice have been chronic and of serious organic disease. I may, perhaps, be allowed to remark that the prisoners which are usually sent to this prison seem to suffer very much after going through a sentence of solitary confinement, and that it is some time before their health is again re-established, although they are usually placed on a liberal allowance of animal food.”

Dr. Manning, Juvenile Asylum, states-"The Prison at Boarded Hall for juvenile offenders is situated in a very healthy part of the island, it is a large, well-ventilated stone wall building, and its floor well raised from the earth; the best proof can give of its being healthy is that I have had medical charge of it since 1843, and only one death has occurred during that period. The diseases are simple fever, catarrhs, bronchitis, ulcers, and, occasionally, sabies.”

Lock-ups of the Island.

The twenty-one lock-ups of the island are in good order and repair. The Hole Town Lock-up, which I especially referred to in my last Report as being badly ventilated, damp, and unhealthy, on the representation of the Governor to the Honourable House of Assembly, has recently been repaired, and is now properly ventilated and in a wholesome

condition.

Prison Discipline in 1874.

At Glendairy Prison during the year 1874, 8 male prisoners were sentenced to be flogged, 7 to solitary confinement, and 13 to punishment on the treadwheel, and 8 females to solitary confinement. At the Town Hall Prison, 30 male prisoners were sentenced to be flogged, and 55 to solitary confinement. At District A Prison, 4 females were sentenced to solitary confinement. At District B Juvenile Asylum, & boys were sentenced to be whipped with rods. At District C Prison, 10 prisoners were sentenced to be flogged, and 8 to solitary confinement. At District D Prison, there was no corporal punishment for the year, but 4 male prisoners were sentenced to solitary confinement, making a total of 53 punished by flogging, 78 to solitary confinement, and 13 to punish- ment on the treadwheel, or a grand total of 144 prisoners punished by order of the Visiting Justices in all the prisons of the Island. On comparing the punishments for the last two years. I find that in 1874 the floggings were more than in 1873, the former being 53, and the latter 48, but taking the increased number of prisoners committed the floggings were fewer in proportion. Solitary confinements were more, being 78 against 55, and an increase of punishments on the treadwheel, being 13 against 7, or 34 punishments more in 1874 than in 1873, the total in the former year being 144, whilst the latter year there were 110 punishments. This increase of punishments has chiefly taken place in the Town Hall Prison, and I attribute it to the fact that a larger number of prisoners were committed to this gaol in 1874 than in 1878, the numbers being 1,545 against 1,315, or an increase of 230 prisoners. The Town Hall prisoners are generally a class very debased in character, and the evil of association is calculated to increase the number of offences committed by them. I am of opinion that this prison should at once be abolished, the improvements which have been recently suggested can in no way make it a prison proper as regards space, and it will be a needless outlay of money to attempt alterations when the six small rooms must at all times be crowded with an average of 144 prisoners, huddled together like cattle in a pen; the only remedy is the enlargement of

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Glendairy Prison, as I have endeavoured to show under the head "Enlargement of Glendairy Prison."

The minor punishments in all the prisons of the island for 1874 were 2,644, whilst in 1873 they were 2,992, showing a decrease of 348. additional Rules aud Regulations for the Prisons of Glendairy and the Common Gaol of Very salutary Bridgetown passed the Governor and Council on 20th October, 1874, and in a disciplinary point of view are calculated to strengthen the hands of the officers in charge. These Rules enact, "That, in cases of idleness or negligence in work, insolence or insubordination, quarrelling or fighting with each other, or other improper or disorderly conduct of prisoners, the Governor of Glendairy Prison, with reference to that prison, and the Provost Marshal, with reference to the Common Gaol of Bridgetown, may, should they be of opinion that the offences are not of so grave a nature as to be brought before a Visiting Justice for investigation, summarily punish offenders in one of the following ways:--

"Ist. By putting the offender upon half the regulation rations of food, for a period not exceeding seven days. Provided always that no prisoner, while on reduced allowance of food, be set to perform more than half the usual task of exercise, nor shall such punishment be continued beyond two-days without the approval of the Surgeon.

"2nd. By compelling the offender to perform extra penal labour, not exceeding one hour in cach day, such extra labour not to be continued for more than fourteen days at any one time.

"3rd. By separating offenders from well-conducted prisoners, as completely as may be practicable, both by day and by night, for such periods as may be necessary for maintaining discipline.

"Every punishment inflicted under these additional Rules shall-with a statement of the offence and the written approval of the Surgeon, where necessary, be recorded in a book; and it shall be the duty of the Visiting Justice and of the Inspector of Prisons to examine such minor-punishment book regularly, and to inquire into any case which shall appear to either of them to be irregular or excessive.

These Rules are to be read together with paragraph 28 of the Regulations of January, 1870, and where they conflict with its provisions discretion is left to the Governor of Glendairy Convict Prison and to the Provost Marshal to proceed under either of them."

Under these new Rules the Governor of Glendairy imposed twenty-six punishments, and the Provost Marshal inflicted 264 punishments from October to the end of the year. The summary manner in which they are carried out will, I believe, have a most salutary effect, and in due time there will be a large decrease of prison offences.

Enlargement of Glendairy Prison.

In the Annual Reports which I have submitted for the last four years, I have set forth in detail the imperfect system carried out in all our prisons, one great defect being the way they are scattered all over the island. By constructing additional buildings at Glendairy, and making it the sole gaol, the cost of our prisons would not only be diminished but innumerable advantages would be the result. In carrying out this recom- mendation by utilizing the prison labour, it could be accomplished at a moderate expense. Amongst the convicts are to be found masons, carpenters, and other tradesmen; these, with the assistance of prisoners as attendants, would be sufficient to erect the prison. Efficient superintendents could be employed at so much per day, and, with the assistance of the Governor of Glendairy to watch the entire work and see after the supplies, the whole might be completed within a reasonable time: 192 additional cells for males, and 23 for females would be a sufficient number to accommodate all the prisoners in the island, that being about the average number confined throughout the year at the Town Hall, Districts A and C prisous. The burning of lime is again being carried on within the prison walls where there are several large kilns. Stone and marl are to be obtained in abundance on the premises, so that the main expenditure would be saved. Lumber would form the chief item of expense. In nearly all the convict prisons of England, the prisoners are constantly employed to erect houses and buildings within the walls;

the Annual Reports of these establishments frequently set forth the value of this kind of work. Recently, at one of these prisons, the convicts were employed to build a house for the Assistant Surgeon, and it was found that the amount and character of the work performed not only deserved great credit, but justified the belief that great improve- ments might be attained. Out of the following elements the subjoined results were obtained: Five bricklayers, three of whom were learning the business, and two fair average tradesmen, built 19 rods of front-faced brickwork, cut and set 10 gauged

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