1876 — Page 171

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maur

Questions.

VII. If so, during what periods of imprisonment, in respect of what classes of prisoners, and during how hours is such penal labour enforced? In stating hours of tread-wheel labour, give first, the total time on and off the wheel, etc.; secondly, the length of spells and intervals of rest.

VIII. What kind of labour, other than penal labour is in use.

IX. If the prisoners are employed beyond the walls of the Guol, state-

1. On what kind of work they are so employed?

2. How are they supervised?

3. How many escapes of prisoners, while being em- ployed beyond the Gaol, have taken place during each of the last three years?

4. How are the profits of their labour necounted for ?

X. What was the total annual cost of the Prison during the year 1870?

XT. What was the annual amount of the prisoners' earnings during 1876?

XII. What are the number of the hours allotted for sleep? And, if sleep is in association, are the dormi- fories lighted; and how often are they patrolled du- ring the night?

XIII. What were the number and nature of the punishments inflicted for offences committed by pri- soners undergoing inprisonment?

Anawers,

The hours of labour for all prisoners in this Colony throughout the year are from 7 A.M. to 4.30 P.M., one hour being allowed for dinner. When penal labour is resorted to, men on the crank have to complete revo- lutions not exceeding 15,300 por day; European pri- soners at shot-drill do 3 hours and Chinese prisoners 4 hours per day, in spells of half an hour at a time, with stone-breaking, stone-carrying, or onkun-picking during the intervals,

Washing clothes and bed making for the Civil and Lock Hospitals;—mat making for the several Depart- ments, scraping and painting iron bedsteads for the Police Department; also washing, bed and mat making, tailoring, shoemaking, carpentering, cleaning, and exe- cuting all incidental repairs to the Gaol buildings.

No prisoners are employed outside the Gaol since November, 1873.

Nil.

No prisoners have escaped during the last three

years.

Nil,

Deducting the amount due or received for the sub- sistence of Naval and Military Court Martial pri- soners, Debtors and Lunatics during the past year, $1,880.23 (or £301.14.34), and $1,025.88 (or £213. 14.6) representing the prisoners' earnings, the total expenditure of the Prison during the year 1870 was $28,769.25 (or £5,001.10.2†).

The amount of prisoners' earnings during the year 1870 was $1,025.88, being proceeds of oakum-picking and mat-making, which was the only profitable work carried on in the Gaol, the prisoners being kept as much as possible to strictly penul labour. Öld rope is supplied by or purchased from the Naval Yard and occasionally by the Storekeepers of the town for pick- ing into nakum. The earnings of the prisoners on being collected are paid into tlie Treasury.

The average time during which the prisoners sleep, is about 9 hours in 24.

The domitories are not lighted, but gas is burning in all passages and corridors.

Turnkeys are on duty in the Gaol throughout the night, and patrol the corridors and passages constantly.

The anoiber of prisoners reported for Prison offences during the year 1870 was 3,029; out of this number, 21 were discharged; 232 cautioned, and 2,720 punish- ed in the manner detailed below, viz. :—-

233 by solitary confinement only,

""

173

on Brend & Water,

713

"

"1

on Rice & Water,

O were ordered Bread and Water 1 meal.

2

1 day each.

"

2 were deprived of their congee for 2 meals. 143 had their supper meal stopped.

1,127 were ordered Rice and Water 1 meal.

14

2

J

17

21

"

2 meals. 3 days.

16 had their pork ration stopped for a time.

59 received corporal punishment.

235 had half their supper meal stopped.

9.726

For short

1 sentenced by the Supreme Court to penal ser- vitude for life for (cutting and wounding with intent to murder.)

perloda.