1906 — Page 445

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Questions.

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

VII. If so, during what periods of imprisonment, in respect of what classes of prisoners, and during how many hours is aneh penal labour enforced? In stating hours of treal-wheel labour give-first, the total time 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 nec?

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

Answers.

There isfun tread-mill labour, but shot-drill, crank- labour, and stone-currying are in force.

The hours of labour throughout the year are fron 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 6.43 a.. to 4.15 p.m., one hour being allowed for dinner. Prisoners at crank labour, full tusk, havo to complete 12,500 revolutions at a 12 lbs. pressure, European and Chinese prisoners at shot-drill do 41 hours in spells of half an hour at a time, with stone- carrying or onkum-picking in the intervals.

Tailoring, shoe-making, carpentering, grass and coir mat making, rattan work, printing, book-binding, not making, tinsmithing, washing, cleaning, and incidental repairs to the Prison buildings.

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

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

3. How are the profits of their labour accounted

for?

X. What was the total annual cost of the Prison during the year 1906?

The total expenditure of the Gaol in 1906 was $107,470.66, of which the sum of $2,653.51 was refunded for the subsistence of Naval, Military Court Martial prisoners, Debtors, &c., as follows:-

Military,

Naval,

$ 815.60 335,70

Debtors,

Ôi

Vagrants,

25.20

Wei-hai-wei Prisoners,...

740.70

Waste food sokl,

55.00

Personal Emoluments refunded,

450.38

Other Charges refunded,

Boots manuy refunded.......................................... Forfeitures,

21.10

25.12

39.21

$ 2,653.51

XI. What was the anunal amount of the prisoners' earnings during 1906 ?

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

The total amount paid into the Treasury during the year on decomut of Prison Industrin Labour" was $5,591.02, of which $540.40 was for 1905, nud §5,059,62 for 1906.

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

The rolls of the Victoria Gaol are not lighted, but gas lis kept buruing in all passages and corridors, and The Assistant Wardørs on duty are provided with lamps In the to throw light into the cells when required. Brauch Prison gus is kept burning in the wards all night.

Assistant Warders are on duty in the Guol throngh- out the night, and patrol the corridors nul pussaXOS The patrols aro visitad every hour by constantly. a Principal Warder. The Assistant Superintendent makes one surprise visit each week after 9 p.in.