Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 187

181

No. 1900

8

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF VICTORIA GAOL FOR 1899,

No. 20/1900.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

VICTORIA GAOL,

22nd January, 1900.

SIR, I have the honour to submit for your information the following report on the Victoria Gaol for the year 1899.

2. The number of prisoners admitted to the Gaol during the year under sentence from the ordinary Courts was 4,164, besides 89 soldiers and sailors sentenced by Courts Martial. There were 35 persons admitted for debt and 501 in default of finding security, making a total of 4,789. Of these 736 were old offenders, including 11 juveniles who were merely sent to the Gaol to be birched, leaving a total of 725 old offenders who actually underwent imprisonment.

The corresponding numbers for the preceding year were respectively as follows:---

Convicted by the ordinary Courts...

Courts Martial

Debtors

In default of finding security.....

Total (including 760 old offenders)

.4,976

69

51

331

.5,427

3. The daily average number of prisoners confined in the Gaol during the year was 434 as com- pared with 511 for the year 1898.

4. The number of prisoners committed to the Gaol for offences not of a criminal nature was 1,858 made up as follows:-

Committed under the Prepared Opium Ordinance

Market

Arms

Vehicle

Sanitary bye-laws

Harbour Regulations.... For Drunkenness.

For Trespassing.

For Disorderly Conduct

For Gambling

For Contempt of Court......

Destitutes....

Total.........

386

254

56

58

118

94

107

80

439

205

17

44

.1,858

5. The following table shows the number of prisoners who were committed to Gaol without the option of a fine and in default of payment of fine.

Year.

Total.

Imprisonment without the option of Fine.

Imprisonment in default etc.

Served the

Total.

Paid full fine.

Imprisonment.

Paid part fine.

1899

4,253

1,903

2,350

1,281

895

174

Ordinance No. 7 of 1899, under which part payments of fines are accepted, came into operation on the 7th March, 1899.