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Q-Yes, offences which lead up to floggings.
A-Refusal to labour is the most common.
Q-Do you consider that the conduct of the staff in any way aggravated the pri- soners and so incited them to commit breaches of discipline?
A--No, I do not think so.
Q-Have cases of that description ever come under your notice ?
A-Where the conduct of the members of the staff-
Q-Yes, has aggravate I the prisoners.
A-No, no such case.
Q-Can you compare the staff during the two terms of your superintendency?
A-The staff in my last term was composed of a much better class of men than it was in the first.
Q--How do they compare in numbers?
A-I think the numbers are the same.
Q-Are the nationalities the same?
A--No; in my last year a new system was put into force. A number of Euro peans were superseded by Sikhs under charge of Europeans.
Q-What led to that change?
A--The unsatisfactory conduct of the Europeans.
Q-In your opinion has the conduct of the Indians justified the change?
A-I have had only a short experience of them, but as far as I can make out they were more satisfactory at least from one point of view, because the Europeans were always getting drunk and going into the hospital for various diseases, and the Sikhs are more on the spot.
Q-In respect of dealing with the prisoners, who are the more competent-the European or Sikhs?
A-As far as that goes I think they are about the same.
Q-Do you consider that the staff under you was properly fitted by discretion and tact to have control of the prisoners ?
A-I should say, in reply to that, that it is about as good as you can get for the money.
Q--Do you know the weights and proportions of the three rattans used in flogging prisoners?
A-No, I cannot speak as to that.
Q-Was the same pattern of rattan used in 1895 and 1896 that was used in 1891 and 1892 ?
A-Yes.
Q-Do you know when that pattern was introduced ?
A-No.
Q--Do you know by what Governor it was approved? A-I have heard, but I cannot say of my own knowledge.
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