51

1.—4,

[CmCULAE.] INFORMATION REQUIRED BY GAOL COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. L As to the Existing Prisons op the Colony. l.—A list of all Prisons, and the Purposes of the Prisons. 2. — Description of each Prison. (1.) Its position, aspect, accessibility, distance from Court. (2.) The materials of which constructed. (3.) A plan showing all internal arrangements. (4.) Provisions for security in respect of construction. (5.) Divisions for separate classes, if any, and on what principles constructed. (6.) General amount of accommodation. (7.) Number of separate cells, dormitories, and working rooms, aud size; number of cubic feet per person in sleeping cells; how many cells, and how many persons sleep in each cell. (8.) Average number of prisoners in each year for last five years. (9.) Work yards, exercising yards—size and particulars. (10.) What eating places —size, &c. (11.) What cooking places. (12.) Baths and lavatories. (13.) Privies—number, character, aud position. (14.) Urinals. (15.) Provisions for ventilating and heating. (16.) Drainage. (17.) Particular deficiencies or advantages of the prison in any of the respects above mentioned. (18.) Means for adapting prison for separate confinement, and hard or industrial labour. (19.) Means of dealing with fire, if any. Could prisoners be readily got out in case of fire ? B.— Prison Regulations in force, and Discipline. (1.) A copy of these posted in gaol, or used. (2.) Are they observed strictly or not ? (3.) If departed from, or not enforced, in what particulars ? (4.) What reasons assigned for such departure or non-observance ? (5.) Is the mark-system carefully enforced, and what has been effect since introduction ? (6.) Objection made by officers of prison, or prisoners, to existing rules ? (7.) Number of Visiting Justices ? (8.) What kind of visits, how often, and what record thereof ? (9.) How often do visitors report, and to whom ? (10.) Is skilled inspection necessary or advisable ? (11.) AVhat books are kept in prison, and what they show ; regularity of entries ? (12.) What improvements, changes, or modifications in prison within five years, and by whose authority ? (13.) Number of prison punishments for five years and by whom inflicted; what sorts, classifying them as to cause and amount ? (14.) How many repetitions by same persons ? (15.) Numbers of recommittals of previously convicted prisoners? (16.) Means, if any special, of identification ? (17.) Attempts at escape: the mode, the result, the temptation ; —remarks. (18.) What part of treatment most irksome to prisoners, and most complained of? (19.) Are prisoners often in possession of money when convicted? What is done with it? 4.— Number, Classification, and Separation of Prisoners. (1.) Total number in last five years, Ist January, 1873, to Ist January, 1878. (2.) Average numbers. (3.) Distinguish,— (a.) Debtors. (b!) Lunatics, criminal and non-criminal. (c.) Waiting for trial. (d.) Summary convictions. (c.) Convicted, but without hard labour.