Sessional_Paper_1892 — Page 161

157

No.-

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE ACTING SUPERINTENDENT OF VICTORIA GAOL FOR 1891.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, on the 25th February, 1892.

No. 18.

SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE, VICTORIA GAOL,

HONGKONG, 22nd January, 1892.

SIR,-I have the honour to forward for His Excellency's information the Annual Report on the Prison for 1891.

2. I took over charge of the Prison from Major-General GORDON on the 1st April, on which date he proceeded to England on leave of absence.

3. The conduct of the Gaol Staff during the year has, with some exceptions, not been particularly good, but I hope with the engaging of some reliable men in England it may be improved in the future.

4. There has been a decrease in the average number of prisoners confined in the Gaol, the number being 507 as compared with 566 in 1890.

This, however, has been accompanied by a large increase in the number of admissions, the numbers being 5,221 and 3,444 respectively, from which it may be inferred that the number of short sentence prisoners is increasing and the number of long sentence prisoners is decreasing.

The daily maximum for the year was 590.

5. During the year there were 25 prisoners sentenced for returning from banishment. In view of the frequency of these convictions I have laid it down that such prisoners are to be treated more severely than hitherto in the matter of hard labour, of course, consistently with the rules for the management of the Gaol.

6. Nothing has been done during the past year to introduce the separate system of confinement on a general plan.

It is, in the absence of flogging, the only effective system of imprisonment.

Extra room is required for officers' quarters, in which no dining or recreation rooms are provided; the Warden should live in the Gaol, and the present arrangement of the Female Prison is in many ways a most objectionable one.

In the absence of proper yard accommodation the rules as to the classification and separation of prisoners cannot be carried out, while the general needs of the Prison as to store-rooms, &c., have not been sufficiently attended to.

With the present cramped space at command effective supervision is impossible.

7. During the year there have been 11,714 prison offences committed by a daily average of 507 prisoners, being over 23 offences by each prisoner as compared with 20 in 1890.

I append the usual comparative returns of the most common of those offences.

8. There has been an increase in industrial earnings during the year, the total being $4,248.55, as compared with $3,488.39 in 1890. The usual returns are appended.

The Honourable W. M. GoODMAN,

Acting Colonial Secretary,

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

A. M. THOMSON, Acting Superintendent.