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199. RELIGION.—I was put down as a Roman Catholic at Coolgardie, and appear as such in the prison records. I am really a Mahommedan. I was formerly for some years in India. 200. PERSONAL,—On discharge I propose to return to India, and can get the means to go there. No. 10501, examined. 201. SUPPRESSION OF LETTERS.—During the time I was awaiting trial I wrote the Attorney General requesting copy of depositions. I received no reply. I also wrote to former employers and others, and have reason to believe that my letters were suppressed. 202. ABSCONDER.—I absconded, and was brought back and flogged. I was away about nine hours. I got 36 lashes, and a month in irons. 203. DIET.—Improved lately. Sometimes the meat seems to be diseased, and it is occasionally very tough. At the latter end of last November the food was very bad. I was one of those who"backed the wall" to see the authorities on that occasion. We were brought before the magistrate and charged with insubordination; discharged with a caution. 204. RULES AND REGULATIONS.—There are no definite rules and regulations posted up for the guidance of the prisoners. 205. LABOUR.—I am on the pumps; monotonous work. I am not a skilled tradesman, but I could do any kind of labouring work. 206. CHURCH.—Attendance compulsory. I think compulsory attendance is undesirable. Most of the prisoners do not want to go. It makes the whole thing a mockery. 207. PERSONAL.—I come from South Australia, and if I were free to go, could find the means to return there. 208. REMISSION.—I believe I am entitled to certain remission, but by reason of punishments for offences in gaol I am not very clear what remission I am really entitled to. From the Superintendent I understand that the question of remissions is one which the Commission has before it for consideration. F.G. (Female Prisoner) examined. 209. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Habitual drunkard; twelve months. 210. DIET.—The food is good in our part of the gaol. I have no complaints to make. 211. PERSONAL.—I am a widow. I took to drink after my husband died three years ago. I have a family of seven. One only is working; the rest are at schools. I have been imprisoned before for drinking. I would like to get some remission of my sentence, which seems a long one for the offence. The Committee adjourned. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, 1898. [AT FREMANTLE GAOL.] Present: Dr. ADAM JAMESON, Chairman. Mr. J. Gallop, Mr. Horace Stirling, Mr. F. Craig, Mr. E. W. Mayhew, Mr. M. L. Moss, Dr. Lotz, and the Secretary. No. 2802, examined. 212. AGE.—24. 213. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Rogue and vagabond; six months. When I was admitted I was suffering a good deal from severe handling by the police. I had been drinking, and had, no doubt, been very violent. The doctor did nothing for me for several days, and I was refused admission to the hospital. 214. SANITARY.—Ventilation of cells is defective. If the chamber is used in the cell at night it cannot be emptied till the morning. The pots are emptied into cans in the yard. All the water is thrown into the drains in the pump yard, and passes out under the prison. That is done to lighten the cans. The liquid is poured off in that way, but a good deal of the solid goes with it. Part goes through the drain under the cookhouse. 215. DARK CELL.—Sleeping in the dark cell on the oiled floor brings on rheumatism. The bedding supplied is not sufficient, because the cells are so cold. One of my blankets was 22 years old according to the date on it, and filthily dirty. It has been removed since I asked to see the Commission. 216. DIET.—In the refractory cells food is allowed on a scale drawn up by the Superintendent and signed by him. Mr. George told me it was the "light labour rations." I cannot find that there is such scale fixed by the Government. 217. REMISSIONS.—In my case, I understand from the Superintendent, that my full remission is to be knocked off. I want to know if the magistrates made a special order to that effect in my case, because, in the case of two absconders named Cohen and Smith, only seven days were knocked off. Even a report, not followed by punishment, renders a remission liable to be knocked off. 218. VISITS.—My wife was, on one occasion, refused admission to see me when properly authorised to do so, and no reason was given. On one occasion when I was out of gaol, I brought an order from the Sheriff to see a friend. The order was signed at 1:30, and I arrived at 3 p.m. It was after hours, but I think I ought to have been admitted, as the order was for that day. 219. ABSCONDING.—I got seven days bread and water and three weeks cells for absconding; one month altogether, and I was four days in the cells awaiting trial. 220. TRADE.—I am a stonecutter, and have asked to be put on to that class of work, but have been refused. 221. LETTERS.—I complain that, contrary to the rules, my letters have been read by the warders before being handed to the Superintendent, who alone is authorised to read them. Lately there has been an improvement in that respect. The contents of letters used to be communicated to the detective at the gate. [The Commission called for the depositions and other papers. These showed that "any remission to which the prisoner may be entitled" was to be knocked off. The Commission thought that these words were open to the construction that they applied to any remission earned by the prisoner at the time of the offence to which the depositions referred, and not to any subsequent remission to which his future good conduct entitled him.] No. F. 3/68 (Female Prisoner), examined. 222. AGE.—28 Years. 223. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Forging and uttering; five years. 224. PERSONAL.—I am a married woman, with two children in the Eastern colonies, and a husband on the goldfields. I have not heard from my husband since I have been in gaol. I kept a boarding-house in Perth, where there was a lodger who was sentenced with me for the forgery of a cheque for £1,000. I received the cheque and paid it into an account at the bank which I opened for that purpose. I believed the cheque to be the property of the other prisoner. He owed me £400, advanced by me to him in South Australia. I had pressed him for payment, and he said I could take it out of the £1,000, and hand him over the balance, if I did not care to keep it. I believed him to have the command of plenty of money at the time. I drew two cheques against the amount to pay bills. The sum of the two cheques was about £40. A week elapsed before the paying in and the drawing out of the £40. My husband did not know of the advance by me of £400 to the other man. I have no complaints to make, but I think the sentence is very severe, and I would like to get leave to send in a petition. 225. DIET.—The food is good, but I would like a little more nourishing food. The meat is good, but limited in quantity. The porridge and soup are very good, but we get no vegetables, except potatoes. 226. MEDICAL.—I have only seen the doctor when i have asked to do so. There is no medical examination of the prisoners on admission. No. 2953, examined. 227. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.— False pretences; two years. 228. AGE.—24. 229. NATIONALITY.—Spaniard. I come from Nicaragua. 230. DIET.—The potatoes are always bad, and I have seen the meat fly-blown sometimes. Occasionally the rations are not up to regulation weight. 231. BEDDING.—The blankets are frequently dirty. Mine have not been washed in the ten months that I have had them. The sheets are changed every three months. 232. REMISSIONS.—I complain that a prisoner is liable to lose his remission through the aggravating conduct of fellow prisoners. I have broken the law of the country and want to do my sentence quietly, but I lose my temper when insulted and called names by the other prisoners. This has got me into trouble more than once. I have not been in prison before I came here. 233. REFRACTORY CELLS.—There should be always some one like a sentry within easy call of these cells in case any emergency arises. 234. PETITION.—I should like to be allowed to petition, and if I were discharged, would work my passage back to my own country. I am a sea-faring man.
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