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Q-Would you make any difference between prisoners committed for felony and those committed for misdemeanour ?
A-I should not interfere in the case of misdemeanour.
Q-Of course, there are some misdemeanours-perjury, for instance--which rauk as high as some felonies. The graver misdemeanours and felony, I suppose, you would put together?
A-Yes.
Q-Do the Indians and Europeans on the Gaol staff understand Chinese sufficiently to talk to prisoners and understand their wants?
A-The Indians understand more than the Europeans; a number of Europeans certainly understand a little. A prisoner tries to make it understood to the officer what he wants. If the officer does not understand him he calls up somebody who does so that the prisoner will not go without being attended to.
Q-I observe that in 1895 the total number of cases of floggings reached over 500
A-The total number of floggings in 1895 reached 467; those were by the Super- intendent. The remainder were by the Court.
Q-What is the total, do you know?
A-I have not got it here.
Q-You were not in charge during that time?
A-I was in charge until the 13th April.
Q-Prior to that had the number of whippings been unusually high?
A-In 1894 I ordered 140 whippings myself and twelve whippings were ordered by the Superintendent in conjunciion with a Visiting Justice. In 1893 I inflicted 68 whippings; four in that year were ordered by the Superintendent in conjunction with a Visiting Justice. In 1894 the crime of refusal to labour increased tremendously and that accounts for the fact that so many more prisoners were whipped in 1894 than in 1893. I thought at the time it was due to the inefficient staff to a great extent, but my opinion is somewhat altered now. I think it is the prisoners' fault.
Q-Do you ever find a difficulty in procuring the attendance of one of the Visiting Justices for the week?
A-I do. I invariably call in an Unofficial Justice for the week. I consider it advisable to do so for several reasons,
Q-Have you any difficulty in procuring his attendance?
A-This week I have not been able to procure his attendance at all. I applied to him twice. On each occasion he informed me that he was engaged.
Q-What is his name?
A-Mr. DAVID. I believe he has been exceptionally busy this week on account of being on a jury one day.
Q-How do you procure the attendance of Justices ?
A-By writing to them.
Q-When they come up, have you ever heard them grumble at having been called?
A-I have heard them on one or two occasions.
Q-When Justices have tried cases with you, have they often asked to have a look at the Rules?
A-I invariably show them the Rule under which the inquiry should be held.
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