152
308
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
Convicts.
An expenditure, amounting to 151l. 3s. 3d. (Requisitions No. 42 of 1849, and 10 of 1850), was incurred in the purchase of stone-hammers, rope, and winch, for the use of the prisoners confined to hard labour within the gaol; these are mostly Europeans, and the total number employed during the year amounted to about 3,100, not working the whole day or regularly either; 300 tons of stone have been broken, the quantity I have used on the road does not amount to more than 180 tons, but I hope to dispose of all that may be broken in the present year, and thus be enabled to form a hard compact surface for most of the streets throughout the city.
The repairs to convict tools, wheelbarrows, shovels, pickaxes, &c., has amounted to the sum of 20l. 0s. 11d. I have been enabled with the labour of the convicts to keep in very fair repair almost the whole of the streets in the city, including the Queen's Road and the Wongneichung Valley Road alluded to before; upon the former in the ordinary surface repairs, and including a very extensive damage done to the embankment near Mr. Edger's house I have expended the labour of 3,047 men, valued at 63l. 9s. 7d., and upon the rest of the roads and streets in the city the number of 5,485 men, equivalent to an expenditure of 114l. 5s. 5d., forming the total amount of 8,532, equal to 177l. 15s., for a length of 81 miles, or nearly 3d. per yard per annum.
Sundry services to drains were completed by 57 men, equivalent to 1l. 3s. 9d
In the transport of materials, viz., that of hard wood, stone, and tiles, from the Bungalow in the Wongneichung Valley to the store at the Government offices, and also for the repairs and alterations to the Central Police Station, as well as for the construction of the bridges in the valley, I have employed 3,343 men, valued at 69l. 12s. 11d.
Two of the streets in the city, viz., Elgin-street and Wyndham-street, were improved, the former at the turn leading to Hollywood-road, and the latter at the junction with Albert-road, by the labour of 1,078 men, I also formed two streets near Hollywood-road, to give access to some lots of land offered for sale: this service employed 432 men. Another service, under the head of Construction, was performed in clearing and levelling the ground between the Queen's-road and the sea, extending from the Main Guard-house to a drain crossing the area, employing thereon 758 men, valued at 15l. 15s. 10d.
This ground forms part of the plaza; the remainder of the area, from thence to Messrs. Lindsay's premises, is partly formed of the natural uncut ground, and partly by deposit of earth from the parade-ground and area of the Government offices and church. It is very irregular, and averages a height of 4 feet or more, containing about 10,000 cubic yards; and as the labour of its removal would involve a large expenditure of convict labour, probably the total number of convicts at my disposal for six months, the completion of the service has been delayed until a future period." The total number employed on these three services amounts to 2,435 men, equal to 50l. 14s. 7d.
The miscellaneous service performed by convict labour comprises clearing the ground, inland lot, No. 1, for police boat-shed, clearing sands at Pedder's Wharf, transplanting trees, work at Flag-staves, clearing weeds, &c., from Government ground, and scavengers for the city, amounting in the whole to 856 men, valued at 17l. 9s. 2d.
Thus the total number of men employed during the year out of the gaol amounts to 15,253, giving an equivalent value of work, amounting to 317l. 15s. 5d.; for the year 1849 the number employed was 17,846; for 1848, 18,151.
The prisoners who are condemned to hard labour within the walls of the prison have, as stated before, broken 300 tons of stone for the roads; it is certainly hard, and I now cause it to be broken very fine, and, estimating their labour at 5d. per diem, would give an amount of 64l. 11s. 8d., or about 4s. per ton, which is a very high price indeed; this work is an employment, and the stone is useful, but certainly no punishment. The tread-mill, when it arrives, will effect, I have no doubt, all that may be desired for that purpose.
In addition to this service a party of ten sailors were employed for three months in clearing and levelling the ground round the Debtors' Gaol. The value of their labour I estimate at 6d. per day, and amounts to 21l. 5s. Thus the total value of all convict labour that I can bring to account amounts to the sum of 403l. 12sd
On comparing the actual expenditure on account of the gaol with the value of work performed by the convicts. I must observe that at least two-thirds of the total number of persons confined in the gaol do not earn anything at all, and are consequently a burden upon the Government.
Road round the Island.
His Excellency having visited this road at the beginning of last year, instructed me to complete those portions of it between Abenleen and Stanley which had been postponed or left unfinished. These works comprised four stone arches in the Staunton Valley, the foundations and abutments of which were finished, and the construction of two drains near Deepwater Bay. The first service was executed for the balance remaining due upon the original contract for the work, and cost 50l. 6s. 3d.; the other services I did not pay for until the termination of the year, and the expenditure will, therefore, be accounted for in my next Report.
The road, although it had no repairs for two rainy seasons, was in most places in very fair order, except on the sea-coast, near Aberdeen, and through Quarries near Aldrich Bay and Sowkewan, where extensive damages occurred, and where I have annually reported the difficulty of preserving it, both on account of its exposed position, and through the carelessness of the quarrymen in blocking up the drains and causing such an extensive deposit of silt to accumulate in the river-courses and land adjoining. For the general preservation of the road, that
152
308
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
Convicts.
An expenditure, amounting to 151, 3s. 3d. (Requisitions No. 42 of 1849, and 10 of 1850), was incurred in the purchase of stone-hammers, rope, and winch, for the use of the prisoners confined to hard labour within the gaol; these are mostly Europeans, and the total number employed during the year amounted to about 3,100, not working the whole day or regularly either; 300 tons of stone have been broken, the quantity I have used on the road does not amount to more than 180 tons, but I hope to dispose of all that may be broken in the present year, and thus be enabled to form a hard compact surface for most of the streets throughout the city.
The repairs to convict tools, wheelbarrows, shovels, pickaxes, &c., has amounted to the sum of 20%. Os. Ild. I have been enabled with the labour of the convicts to keep in very fair repair almost the whole of the streets in the city, including the Queen's Road and the Wongneichung Valley Road alluded to before; upon the former in the ordinary surface repairs, and including a very extensive damage done to the embankment near Mr. Edger's house I have expended the labour of 3,047 men, valued at 631. 9s. 7d., and upon the rest of the roads and streets in the city the number of 5,485 men, equivalent to an expenditure of 1141. 5s. 5d., forming the total amount of 8,532, equal to 1776, 15s., for a length of 81 miles, or nearly 3d. per yard per annum.
Sundry services to drains were completed by 57 men, equivalent to 11. 3s. 92.
In the transport of materials, viz., that of hard wood, stone, and tiles, from the Bungalow in the Wongneichung Valley to the store at the Government offices, and also for the repairs and alterations to the Central Police Station, as well as for the construction of the bridges in the valley, I have employed 3,343 men, valued at 691. 12s. 11d.
Two of the streets in the city, viz., Elgin-street and Wyndham-street, were improved, the former at the turn leading to Hollywood-road, and the latter at the junction with Albert-road, by the labour of 1,078 men, I also formed two streets near Hollywood-road, to give access to some lots of land offered for sale: this service employed 432 men. Another service, under the head of Construction, was performed in clearing and levelling the ground between the Queen's-road and the sea, extending from the Main Guard-house to a drain crossing the area, employing thereon 758 men, valued at 154 15%. 10d.
This ground forms part of the plaza; the remainder of the area, from thence to Mesars. Lindsay's premises, is partly formed of the natural uncut ground, and partly by deposit of earth from the parade-ground and area of the Government offices and church. It is very irregular, and averages a height of 4 feet or more, containing about 10,000 cubic yards; and as the labour of its removal would involve a large expenditure of convict labour, probably the total number of convicts at my disposal for six months, the completion of the service has been delayed until a future period." The total number employed on these three services amounts to 2,435 men, equal to 50%. 14s. 7d.
The miscellaneous service performed by convict labour comprises clearing the ground, inland lot, No. 1, for police boat-shed, clearing sands at Pedder's Wharf, transplanting trees, work at Flag-staves, clearing weeds, &c., from Government ground, and scavengers for the city, amounting in the whole to 856 men, valued at 187. 9s. 2d.
Thus the total number of men employed during the year out of the gaol amounts to 15,253, giving an equivalent value of work, amounting to 3174. 15s. 5d.; for the year 1849 the number employed was 17,846; for 1848, 18,151.
The prisoners who are condemned to hard labour within the walls of the prison have, as stated before, broken 300 tons of stone for the roads; it is certainly hard, and I now cause it to be broken very fine, and, estimating their labour at 5d. per diem, would give an amount of 641. 11s. 8d., or about 4s, per ton, which is a very high price indeed; this work is an employ- ment, and the stone is useful, but certainly no punishment. The tread-mill, when it arrives, will effect, I have no doubt, all that may be desired for that purpose.
In addition to this service a party of ten sailors were employed for three months in clearing and levelling the ground round the Debtors' Gaol. The value of their labour I estimate at 6d. per day, and amounts to 211. 5s. Thus the total value of all convict labour that I can bring to account amounts to the sum of 4031. 12s. Id.
On comparing the actual expenditure on account of the gaol with the value of work per- formed by the convicts. I must observe that at least two-thirds of the total number of persons confined in the gaol do not earn anything at all, and are consequently a burden upon the Government.
Road round the Island.
His Excellency having visited this road at the beginning of last year, instructed me to com- plete those portions of it between Abenleen and Stanley which had been postponed or left. unfinished. These works comprised four stone arches in the Staunton Valley, the foundations and abutments of which were finished, and the construction of two drains near Deepwater Bay. The first service was executed for the balance remaining due upon the original contract for the work, and cost 50%. 6s. 3d.; the other services I did not pay for until the termination of the year, and the expenditure will, therefore, be accounted for in my next Report.
The road, although it had no repairs for two rainy seasons, was in inost places in very fair order, except on the sea-coast, near Aberdeen, and through Quarries near Aldrich Bay and Sowkewan, where extensive damages occurred, and where I have annually reported the diffi- culty of preserving it, both on account of its exposed position, and through the carelessness of the quarrymen in blocking up the drains and causing such an extensive deposit of silt to accu- mulate in the river-courses and land adjoining. For the general preservation of the road, that
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