Sessional_Paper_1905 — Page 160

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5. The following table shows the number of convicted prisoners committed to prison without the option of a fine and in default of payment of fine:-

Imprisonment without the option of fine.

2,997

Imprisonment in default of payment of fine.

Served the

imprisonment.

1,846

Paid full fine.

855

Total.

Paid part

fine.

873

6,571

6. Seventeen deaths occurred during the year and one birth. (in Female

Prison).

7. There were no executions during the year.

8. Fifty juveniles were admitted during the year, 34 of whom were sentenced to be detained 48 hours and to be whipped, the remainder were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

9. There were 798 punishments for breach of prison discipline during the year, as compared with 1,530 for the preceding year. There were three cases in which corporal punishment was awarded, two of which were (with the birch rod) sentenced by the Assistant Superintendent alone, and one with the cat-o'-nine-tails by the same officer in conjunction with a Justice of the Peace. (See Appendices I to IV.)

10. The percentage of prisoners admitted to prison with previous convictions recorded against them to the total number of admission, was 12.26, as compared with 15.92 for the year 1903.

11. The following table shows the daily average number of prisoners under- going imprisonment during the past ten years with the percentage to the estimated population of the Colony of Hongkong:-

Year.

Estimated popula- tion of Hongkong.

Daily average

number of

Percentage.

prisoners.

1895

248,498

472

•189

1896

239,419

514

•214

1897

248,710

462

•185

1898

254,400

511

-200

1899

259,312

432

•166

1900

262,678

486

*185

1901

300,660

499

*165

1902

311,824

576

•184

1903

325,631

653

•200

1904

361,206

726

⚫201

12. Owing to the overcrowded state of the Victoria Gaol it was again neces- sary, on account of the inadequate cell accommodation, to locate as many as three hundred prisoners in the corridors. The store rooms over the Hospital had also to be used as association wards during the greater part of the year.

13. For 241 days during the year the daily population of the Victoria Gaol varied between 600 and 834 prisoners, and on 96 days of that period the numbers were over 700.

14. The daily average of prisoners in the Branch Prison was 74 during the year under review.