CO885-(6-7) — Page 582

Violence to a Warder...

:

12

:

9614/97

Sentenced

7 days' imprisonment, and to

be twice severely whipped.

RobT, BARROW,

Keeper of the Prison.

16348.

55

No. 30.

JAMAICA.

GOVERNOR SIR A. W. L. HEMMING to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received July 21, 1898.)

SIR,

(No. 266.)

[Answered by No. 32.]

King's House, Jamaica, June 27, 1898.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 136, dated the 17th ultimo,* calling attention to the regulations attached to your circular despatch of the 25th of May 1897, on the subject of corporal punishment for crime and prison offences, and pointing out that in the return of floggings inflicted in the prisons of this Colony during the year ended on the 31st March last, forwarded with my despatch No. 140 of the 7th April. the number of strokes in three cases was 36, and requesting me to take steps to ensure, under Clause 46 of the Prison Law of 1882, that no more than 24 strokes are awarded for prison offences, and to bring the matter to the attention of the judges and magistrates with a view to the same limit being observed in cases other than prison offences.

2. As regards the three cases to which you refer, one occurred before the receipt of your circular of the 25th May, 1897, and with reference to the other two, I would explain that the men were incorrigible offenders and had been frequently punished before, and the offences for which the floggings were inflicted were very serious.

I enclose for your information copies of the papers giving particulars of the two cases in question.

3. I would strongly recommend that, although under ordinary circumstances 24 lashes should be the maximum, the power should be retained of ordering, in special cases, the full number of strokes allowed by the law, which for hardened offenders and serious offences I venture to think is not at all too much.

4. I have to add that I hold the same views with regard to offences other than prison offences, and I strongly deprecate the issue of instructions to judges and magistrates that the limit of 24 lashes is never to be exceeded even if the law gives the power of ordering a larger number.

I have, &c.,

AUGUSTUS W. L. HEMMING,

Governor.

SIR,

No. 31.

LABUAN.

COLONIAL OFFICE to BRITISH NORTH BORNEO COMPANY.

[See No. 48.]

Downing Street, August 1, 1898.

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain, to request that you will bring to the notice of the Court of the Directors of the British North Borneo Company, the fact that he has not as yet received any reply from the Governor of Labuan to his circular despatch of the 25th May, 1897 (copy enclosed), relative to the punishment of flogging, which was sent to you under flying seal, addressed to that officer; and I am to ask that you will move the Court to call upon the Governor to furnish a report on the subject.

I am, &c.,

EDWARD WINGFIELD.

• No. 26.

† 9416/97 not printed.

‡ Not printed.

my

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TC.O.885

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | || |||||

21