CO129-246 - Acting Governor Fleming - 1890 [8-9] — Page 712

In the year 730 prisoners in Victoria Gaol. Happily since that time the numbers have considerably decreased, and on the 20th April last (the most recent return I have seen) there were only 550. It would appear sound policy to endeavour to keep down the prison population by increasing the severity of the treatment, and shortening the duration of the sentence, and thus still further reduce the number of convicts. But taking into account contingencies and a probable increase in the population of the Colony, it would hardly be safe, I think, to provide space for a maximum of less than 700 convicts. It is on this assumption I have acted in the preparation of preliminary plans and draft estimates of new Gaol buildings. Of these, from 450 to 500 could be lodged in the present Gaol, allowing 400 cubic feet of air space per prisoner, as appears to be a reasonable standard. It would therefore appear that a new Block, to contain from 200 to 250 separate cells, would satisfy present requirements from a sanitary point of view. If, however, it be decided as a matter of prison discipline that the separate system should be adopted for all convicts, then as the existing buildings in the Gaol will only lodge about 300 men (at the outside) on the separate system, accommodation would have to be provided elsewhere for some 400. I cannot but think, however, that in the first place it might be sufficient to treat confirmed convicts on the separate system, and leave minor offenders, as at present.