CO129-272 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1896 [5-9] — Page 408

Prison whipping

as suits modern requirements.

is increasingly commoner in Hongkong than in England. Still I do not think a man ought to be led off and whipped without due formalities.

3. Shot drill and stone drill are unknown, I think, nor in civil English prisons; and I had thought - though I have no evidence on the subject - that they were less common than used to be the case in military prisons.

I gathered from the evidence that the Chinamen found the treadmill way too hard, and the English prisoners chiefly desired the substitution of the crank.

[Page 16]

4. The pigtail is to a Chinaman what long hair is to a woman; and just as a woman's hair is not cut as a rule, so there is a feeling of indignity. I think that to cut a Chinaman's queue is an unnecessary indignity.

Under rule 225, it may be cut off with the governor's permission. We can leave it as it is.

With regard to Sir R. Meade's minute 403, I would not limit flogging to 12 with the birch in all cases. This would make the punishment regarded as a severe punishment for extraordinary offences. Generally, I should confine the superintendent to the birch to 12 strokes, but in cases when the superintendent is not acting alone, but the rattan be used, and the limit be 20.

Perhaps the minutes had better be acted on at once without waiting for a further report from the Governor, C.Pd.

[Page 17]

Now 125. Why should others be flogged? If hurt will allow the administration 12 strokes thin. I think he will, which I have nothing but sense against.