AnnualReport-1880 — Page 89

No. 31.

VICTORIA GAOL OFFICE, HONGKONG, 27th May, 1881.

SIR,

1. I have the honour to forward the usual Returns with regard to this gaol, for insertion in the Annual Blue Book.

The Returns are:-

1st, Statistical Returns of the Prison of Hongkong for the year 1880.

2nd, Return showing the number of prisoners in Victoria Gaol on the last day of each week of the year 1880.

3rd, Return showing the classification of offences for which prisoners were committed to Victoria Gaol from the respective Courts of the Colony during the year 1880.

2. It is satisfactory to note that there is a total decrease of 139 prisoners, or 3.78 per cent, on the numbers admitted in 1879, which year, as I showed in my last report, itself compared favourably with previous years.

3. The year now under review can, however, compare more favourably with 1879 than at first sight appears. For, if in Return No. 3 are added up the numbers in the first twenty columns, which really contain all the more serious crimes, it will be seen there is a falling off of 367, or a little more than 18 per cent, in crimes of this nature, the numbers being, 2,033 in 1879, and 1,666 in 1880. This is highly satisfactory. In the minor offences of gambling and no pass, there has been an increase of 287, but this is in consequence of the Gambling and Pass Ordinances having been more strictly enforced. In fact, until the Gambling Commission recommended, at the commencement of last year, that the suppression of public gambling should again be entrusted to the police, the carrying out of the former Ordinance was held in abeyance.

4. My remarks last year with regard to Return No. 2, are borne out this year. For, the weekly average in 1880 is larger than that of last year, and yet a fewer number of prisoners have been admitted. In point of fact, the passing of severe sentences on old offenders has resulted in the majority of them being delegated to residence in gaol for lengthened periods.

There can only be one opinion as to the desirability of keeping our criminal population under lock and key, although the doing so may be a permanent expense to the ratepayers; but I hold that it is the most economical way, and affords the greatest safeguard for the persons and property of the inhabitants of this Colony.

5. The gross amount realised during 1880 by the sale of the productions of prison labour, was $2,892.17; while in the five previous years, the figures were, 1879, $1,520.63; 1878, $1,720.22; 1877, $1,031.83; 1876, $1,025.88; 1875, $447.06. If, however, the gross earnings of the prison were reckoned according to the plan adopted by Her Majesty's Convict Prisons, I should have to include the earnings of the prisoners in the capacity of "Servants, Cooks, Corridor Cleaners, Tailors, Washermen, Carpenters, Bricklayers, Shoemakers," &c., &c. With the exception of oakum-picking, it is not possible to put prisoners sentenced to six months' imprisonment and under, to profitable employment, and, for want of space, I am not even able to utilise the labour of all the long-sentenced prisoners to such advantage as I should wish. The amount of $2,892.17 above given, represents the earnings, therefore, of only some 150 prisoners.

6. By putting a money value, as is done at home, on the services rendered to the gaol by the labour of prisoners, I should calculate the annual earnings of the gaol as under:-

3 European Servants... $1,080
648
9 Officers' Servants..................... 31
Servants and Cleaners. 2,232
8 Cooks. 768
1 Shoemaker 96
4 Printers 327
22 Washermen 2,998
20 Tailors... 1,860
1 Blacksmith..... 180
1 Assistant Blacksmith.... 108
3 Carpenters. 324
3 Hospital Attendants 288
5 Plasterers and Whitewashers.... 360
By sale of production of the labour of Mat-makers, oakum-picking, &c..... 2,892
Total....... $14,161