635530-1897-Prison-Rules-and-Regulations — Page 15

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 27TH MARCH, 1897.

260. So far as practicable, female prisoners shall be divided into classes, and separated simi- larly to the male prisoners.

261. They shall keep their cells, yard, and wards perfectly clean at all times.

262. Authorised interviews between female prisoners and their friends must take place in the presence of the Matron or other officer of the prison.

263. Female prisoners shall be employed at No. 2 Hard Lalour with regard to washing their own clothes, and at No. 3 Industrial Light Labour.

264. The child of a female prisoner may be received into prison with its mother, provided it is at the breast; and any such child shall not be taken from its mother until the Surgeon certifies that it is in a fit condition to be removed.

265. Such child may be supplied with such diet and clothing as may be necessary, at the public expense; but, except under special cir- cumstances, no such child shall be kept in prison after it has arrived at the age of twelve months.

PRISONERS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH.

266. In all cases when sentence of death has been passed on a prisoner, the Chief Warder shall cause him to be thoroughly searched, and shall remove from him any article which it is considered dangerous or inexpedient for him to retain in his possession.

267. Every prisoner sentenced to death shall be confined in some safe place within the prison, apart from all other prisoners, and shall be placed under the constant charge and observation of an officer of the prison, both by day and night. He shall be allowed such diet and amount of exercise as the Superintendent may direct.

268. The cell or room in which a prisoner condemned to death is placed shall be previously examined by the Superintendent, who is to satisfy himself of its fitness and safety, and record the result of his examination in his journal.

269. The prisoner may be visited by his relations, friends, and legal advisers, at his own request. Except on the written order of the Colonial Secretary no other person shall have access to such prisoner except the officers of the prison, and, if required by him, a minister of the religion to which the prisoner belongs.

270. All executions shall take place within the prison at the time appointed by the Governor. The Superintendent of the prison will be present and superintend every execution.

271. During the preparation for an execution, and the time of execution, no person shall enter the prison who is not legally entitled to do so, unless in pursuance of an order in writing from the Superintendent. The officers superintending the execution shall, if possible, be decently clothed in black,

197

PRISON OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS.

272. No person shall be punished under the provisions of The Prison Ordinance, 1885, or of these Rules, until he has had an opportunity of hearing the charges and evidence against him and of making his defence.

273. Prisoners shall obey the orders of the Superintendent and the Chief Warder and of the officers who shall be placed over them from time to time.

274. Prisoners are strictly forbidden to have in their possession, or to attempt to receive, money, tobacco, opium, flint, steel, iron, imple- ments, string, immoral books, or any articles not allowed to them by the rules of the prison, nor permitted by the Superintendent, and they are not to conceal any articles of food nor any weapons about their persons or in any ward or cell.

275. Subject to the provisions of rule 33 no punishment nor privation of any kind shall be awarded except by the Superintendent or by the Superintendent in conjunction with a Visiting Justice.

276. The following acts are declared to be offences against prison discipline:—

1. Disobedience of the rules of the prison

by any prisoner.

2. Common assault by one prisoner on

another.

3. Profane cursing and swearing and ob-

scene language by any prisoner.

4. Indecent behaviour by any prisoner. 5. Wilful mismanagement of work or idle- ness or negligence at work or refusal to labour by any convicted criminal prisoner.

6. Disorderly conduct by any prisoner. 277. A prisoner guilty of any offence under the preceding Rule may be punished for the same by the Superintendent with any one or more of the following punishments :-

1. Close confinement in a partially darkened or light cell on bread or rice and water for a period not exceeding seven days.

2. Deprivation of his pork for not more than

four meals consecutively.

3. Separate confinement upon full diet and the authorized scale of penal or reduced penal diet on alternate weeks for any period not exceeding forty-two days, of which period any term of close con- finement awarded at the same time shall form part.

278. The Superintendent may restrain in cross-irons of ten lbs. weight, or less, or in hand- cuffs, any disorderly or violent prisoner for not longer than twenty-four hours at one time; if a longer period than twenty-four hours is required a written order must be obtained from one of the Visiting Justices for the week, who shall at once