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Mr. LETHBRIDGE.-No. The doctor tests their heart and feels their pulse and looks at them generally and inakes a note of their physique, I suppose, and considers whether the man is fit for the various degrees of hard labour, such as the crank and shot or stone drill.
THE PRESIDENT.-Do you have many reports of malingering?
Mr. LETHBRIDGE.-No; never.
Mr. MCCONACHIE.-Do you think it is necessary that there should be a medical man whose whole duty should be devoted to the Gaol? Is there sufficient, do you think, to occupy his whole attention?
Mr. LETHBRIDGE.It is rather difficult for me to say not knowing how long it is necessary to devote to the examination of the men brought before him. There is a very large number. It seems to me the number is excessive. The daily average number in Gaol for the last year was 455. Well, if there are 105 of those men on No. 3 labour by the doctor's orders it is a very large proportion, and if there are so many it seems to me it must occupy a great deal of time to inspect them.
Mr. MCCONACHIE.-I think we have it on evidence from Dr. MARQUES that it took him three hours a day.
Mr. LETHBRIDGE.-I do not think anybody could do it in two hours; and in addition he is liable to be called into the Gaol at any moment and he should be there to inspect newly admitted prisoners and report before I see them in the morning, which I do at 10 o'clock.
Mr. MCCONACHIE.-Is there any possibility of having the medical inspection in the afternoon instead of the morning?
Mr. LETHBRIDGE.-It would be most inconvenient. In fact, it would be impos- sible. It is never done in the afternoon anywhere. It must be carried out any hour from 7 to 10 as necessary.
Mr. THURBURN.--Do you think it would be inconvenient suppose there were three doctors in the Civil Hospital, one of whose duty it was to do the Gaol work? I suppose there would be no difficulty in his attending to do the routine dutics, but in regard to his being liable to be called there at any time? Do you think it would be inconvenient to have a man at the Civil Hospital to do the Gaol work?
Mr. LETHBRIDGE.--So long as he performs certain duties before 10 o'clock, he could take other duty to fit in with any other work, such as taking men off No. 3 book; that could be done subsequent to 10 o'clock. In fact, it is.
Mr. TIIURBURN.-Are there many calls every day in ordinary times?
Mr. LETHBRIDGE.-I would say once a week at the very outside.
Mr. MCCONACHIE.-Are you connected between the Gaol and the Civil Hospital by telephone?
Mr. LETHBRIdge.—No.
Dr. CANTLIE.-Is it necessary that flogging should be done in the forenoon?
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Mr. LETHBRIDGE.-I prefer it should be inflicted as soon as possible after a man is sentenced. It is not possible to do it before 10 o'clock. It can be done punctually at 11 o'clock. The warden is supposed to be present to see the infliction of flogging. The warden is the next senior officer to the Superintendent of the Gaol. He is not available before nearly 11 o'clock. It depends on the number of prisoners to report, the number of interviews and the number of newly admitted prisoners.
Dr. CANTLIE.What could be the latest hour at which it could be done?
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