475 of the 27th
186
COP Y. No. 103,
Enclosure No. 1 to Despatch No.4
October, 1903.
Sir,
C. O. 49694
Hongkong, 24th. April, 1901.
2 DEC 091
:
The Sonourable
We were appointed a Committee to report on the question of the builling of a prison foc Convicts raised in the Annual Report of the Superintendent of the Gaol for the year 1900.
2.
So have carefully considered the matter and we are of opinion that for the reasons stated in the Superinten- dent's Report and for the further reason that it does not seem desirable to have the large number of Convicts at present con- fined in Victoria Gaol they oumber today 154 - mixed up as they must be to a certain extent owing to the comparatively confined yard space in the Gaol, with short sentenced prisoners, the time has arrived for building a separate Convict Prison.
We have 300silared the question of an extea- sion on the present sits for this purpose and we have arrived at the conclusion that the idea, although offering advantages in economy of administration, must be lisnissed because no suffi- cient area could be acquired except at very heavy expense owing to the great value of the land, and because any area that might be acquired would be unsuitable for such a prison owing to the strepness of the site.
3.
4.
Te bave consilered other available sites and we have had little difficulty in selecting the site and surround- ing Crown Land of the Gunpowder Depob on Stonecutters' Island as by far the best in the Colony.
The buildings on it now occupied as a Gunpowder Depot were built in 1333 as a Prison which was however for financial reasons never occupied.
The site is a large one (about 7 acres) afford- ing ample space for the largest Convict Prison that the Colony is likely to raquire for a great many years to come.
It is extremely healthy, and while easy of - access from Victoria for the necessary visits by officials and others and for purposes of food supply and communication, is inaccessible to the general public by reason of its being on an
Island
The Acting Colonial Secretary.
1
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