1900 — Page 293

Questions.

(X3)

AAnswers.

VI. Is penal labour—that is, labour by trond-mill, crank, or shot-drill-in force?

VII. If so, during what periods of imprisonment, in respect of what classos of prisoners, and during how many hours is such penal labour anforcol? In stating hours of trend-wheel labour givo--first, the total timo on and off the wheel, etc.; secondly, the length of spells and interval 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 Gaol, state-

1. How many escapes of prisoners, while being caployed beyond the Gaol, have taken place during each of the last three years?

2. How are the profits of their labour accounted

for?

X. What was the total annual cost of the Prison during the year 1900 ?

There is no tread-mill labour, but shot-drill, crank- Inbour, and stone-carrying aro in force.

The hours of inbour thronghout the year are from the 1st March to the 31st October from 6.15 a.m. to 4.15 p.m., and from the 1st November to the 28th February from 6.45 a.m. to 4.15 p.m., one hour being allowed for dinner. Prisoners at crank labour, full insk, have to complete 12,500 revolutions at a 12 lbs. pressure. European and Chinese prisoners at shot-drill do 4h hours in spells of half an hour at a time, with stone- carrying or onkum-picking in the intervals.

Tailoring, shoc-making, enrpcutoring, grass and coir mat making, ratian work, printing, book-binding, bet making, tinsmithing, washing, cleaning, and incidental repairs to the Gaol buildings.

Prisoners have not been employed outside the Gaol during the year.

The total expenditure of the Gnol in 1900 was $68.190.65, of which the sum of $2,454.81 was refunded for the subsistence of Naval, Military Court Martial prisoners, Debtors, &c., ns follows:-

Military, Naval,

.$ 1,008.20

731.50

Consulate,

146.75

Debtors,....

243.50

Waste food sold,

36.00

Personal Emoluments refunded,

93.61

Other Charges rofunded,

13.27

Forfeitures,

122.51

Miscellaneous Receipts,.

39.47

$2,454.81

Police Court Fines,

$ 255.14

XI. What was the annual amount of the prisoners* earnings during 1900?

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

The total amount paid into the Treasury during the year on account of Prison Industrial Labour was $2,935,28, of which $230.43 was for 1899, and $2,704.85 for 1900.

The average time during which the prisoners sleep is about 11 hours in 24.

The cells are not lighted; but Gas is kept burning in all passages and corridors, and the Warders on duty are provided with lamps to throw light into the colla when required.

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