24239.
(No. 157.) SIR,
70
No. 46.
BRITISH HONDURAS.
ACTING GOVERNOR NEWTON to MR. CHAMBERLAIN,
(Received October 27, 1898.)
Government House, Belize, October 14, 1898. WITH reference to your despatch, No. 121, of the 21st ultimo,* I have the honour to forward herewith a return of floggings inflicted on prisoners during the year 1897.
2. This return was not forwarded before, as the rules under which it is required did not come into operation until March of this year.
71
2. I have approved the recommendation made by the Inspector-General of Prisons in the fourth paragraph of his letter to limit the powers exercised by Assistant Superintendents of Prisons in ordering corporal punishment, and I have directed that officer to convey to the officials concerned the views expressed in paragraphs 2 and 3 of your despatch under acknowledgment relative to the danger of the excessive use of the punishment of the lash.
3. He has also been instructed to note for amendment the law which fixes the maximum of lashes at 25, with a view to the mumber being reduced to 24, in accordance with the Model Prison Rules which accompanied your circular despatch of the 25th May, 1897.
I have, &c.,
I have, &c.,
F. J. NEWTON. Administering the Government.
(No. 328.)
SIR,
Enclosure in No. 46.
WEST RIDGEWAY.
Enclosure in No. 47.
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
Prisons Office, Colombo,
PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
BELIZE PRISON.
Keturn of number of floggings inflicted during the year 1897.
Number of floggings inflicted during the year?
Two.
For what offence inflicted?
(1) Using insubordinate and threatening language.
(2) Continued insubordinate conduct, and breaking his cell window.
How many strokes in each case?
(1) Ten lashes with cat o'nine tails.
(2) Ten lashes with cat o'nine tails.
October 13, 1898.
J. TAYLOR,
Keeper of the Prison.
Nil.
October 13, 1898.
27953.
SIR,
DISTRICT PRISONS.
A. G. CLAYTON,
For Acting Colonial Secretary.
No. 47.
CEYLON.
GOVERNOR SIR J. WEST RIDGEWAY to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(No. 379.)
(Received December 12, 1898.) [Answered by No. 79.]
Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, November 18, 1898.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 257, of the 2nd September, 1898,† relative to the infliction of corporal punishment on prisoners for prison offences, and, with reference to the concluding paragraph thereof, to send for your of power information a list of the officers who have, under the Prisons Ordinance, the ordering such punishment, together with a copy of a letter from the Inspector-General of Prisons on the subject.
November 3, 1898. Is reply to your letter, No. 1260, of the 28th September. 1898, I have the honour to inform you that the instructions contained in the first and second paragraphs have been complied with. I have issued a circular memorandum to the Superintendents of all prisons, bringing the Secretary of State's instructions to their notice, and that of the Visitors,
2. With reference to the third paragraph, 1 annex a list showing the names and offices of the officers who have, under the Prison Ordinance, the power of ordering a prisoner to be flagged or caned for breaches of prison discipline.
3. Punishment can only be inflicted by two Prison Visitors acting together, after an enquiry on oath, in such cases as are referred to them by the Superintendent of a Prison as being of too serious a nature for him to deal with himself. They can, under section 67 of Ördinance 16 of 1877 (amended by section 6 of Ordinance 24 of 1890), order corporal punishment not exceeding 25 lashes or 30 stripes with a rattan. The Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent of a Prison can. under section 65 of Ordinance 16 of 1877, order corporal punishment not exceeding 12 lashes or 20 stripes with a rattan.
4. The Assistant Superintendents of Prisons are appointed under section 8 of Ordinance 21 of 1890 ; many of these officers are of short experience, and, except in the large prisons, it was, I think, intended that in matters beyond the ordinary routine of the prison, they should only act in case of the absence or illness of the Superintendent. I recommend, therefore, that, except in the case of Convict Establishment and Kandy Prisons, the Assistant Superintendents should be directed by the Government only to exercise their powers of ordering corporal punishment in the event of the absence from the station or illness of the Superintendent, and that in all cases brought before an Assistant Superintendent, when it appears to him that corporal punishment should be inflicted, he should remand the prisoner to be brought before the Superintendent, such remand will not, owing to the absence or illness of the Superintendent, probably involve
delay of more than seven days.
#
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary, Ceylon.
I am, &c..
L. F. KNOLLYS, Inspector-General of Prisons.
VISITORS AND Officers OF PRISONS WHO HAVE THE Power of Ordering CorpoRAL PUNISHMENT,
Visitors for all Prisons in the Island:
The Inspector-General of Police and Prisons.
The Principal Civil Medical Officer.
The Government Agent of a Province in his own Province,
Visitors for all Prisons in the Western Province:
Major R. E. Firminger. Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons and Superintendent
of the Convict Establishment.
Mr. P. Ramanathan, Solicitor-General.
• Reminder on 20113; not printed.
↑ No. 36.
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