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Convict Conditions
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In another prison the duties of my position would be simply those of an overseer, whereas on alternate Sundays I have to take charge the same as the other warders. I think the majority of the warders are fitted for their positions, but there are some who are not. Benjamin Hodges, a Warder, examined. 737. PERSONAL.—Entered service April 1st, 1882. Am the principal warder. Pay, £143. Get my orders daily from the Superintendent. There are no regulations defining my duties. 738. TRADE.—Ship's carpenter. Could instruct in carpentry if required. I have had some experience among the natives, having served ten years of my time among them at Rottnest. 739. SUGGESTIONS.—I think a good deal of trouble is caused in the gaol by the non-classification of the prisoners. William S. Webster, Acting Chief Warder, examined. 740.PERSONAL.—Entered service in June, 1884. Had no previous experience. Pay, £143. There are no rules specifying my duties. 741. TRADE.—I have been a storekeeper, but I have no special trade. 742. SUGGESTIONS.—Classification would greatly improve the discipline of the gaol. 743. POSITION OF SENIOR PRINCIPAL WARDER.—On the Estimates £152 is put down for this position, but I have received nothing extra for carrying out the duties. I would like to add that the hours which I have to work are very long, extending, by the time-book, up till the small hours of the morning. J. J. Pond, A Warder, examined. 744. PERSONAL.—Entered service March, 1894. No previous experience. Pay. £10 11s., and quarters, a month. Duties defined by superior officer, Mr. Patterson. 745. TRADE.—Served my time as a bricklayer and plasterer. I have no suggestions to offer. C. E. Compton, a Warder, examined. 746. PERSONAL.—Entered service in November, 1896. Pay, £128 a year and quarters. I take my orders from Mr. Patterson. I have no special trade. 747. SUGGESTION.—Classification would undoubtedly improve the discipline of the prison. 748. ALLEGED UNNATURAL OFFENCE.—I remember the occasion referred to in question 181. There were about 40 or 50 men in the yard at the time. I reported what I had heard to the senior officer in charge of the division, but I do not think it possible that what was the alleged could have happened. No doubt lunatics ought not to be kept in the yard with other prisoners. George Allen, a Warder, examined. 749. PERSONAL.—Entered service 1st January, 1897. No previous experience. Salary, £126 and quarters. Am in charge of the hospital. There are no rules defining my duties. I take my instructions from the doctor. 750. SUGGESTIONS.—I do not think the hospital is well placed. An effluvium comes into the hospital after hot nights, and the noise from the church overheard is distressing to patients. There are two baths, but the water is not laid on. One bath is for venereal and the other for the ordinary patients. 751. ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT OF PATIENT.—I remember the case of which the Commission had evidence as to a man named Hepner, who had a galvanic battery applied to him. The man was half an idiot, and would not move until the doctor gave orders for a galvanic battery to be applied to him. We have had men with delirium tremens, idiots, remanded madmen, ect., as patients in the hospital. G.G. Scott (a Temporary Warder), examined. 752. PERSONAL.—Entered the service March 1st, 1897. No previous experience. Pay 6s 6d. a day. In charge of the youthful prisoners. They are a well-behaved lot. We work long hours—about 10½ hours daily, and the pay is small, working seven days a week. Uniforms are provided. I take my orders from Mr Patterson. 753. TRADE.—Blacksmith. [The Commission adjourned.] WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 1898. [AT FREMANTLE GAOL.] Present : MR. E. W. Mayhew, Acting Chairman, Mr. James Gallop, and the Secretary. Wm. Patterson, Senior Warder, examined. 754. PERSONAL.—Entered service June, 1895. No previous experience. No written rules for my guidance. 755. TRADE.—Butcher. 756. ALLEGED UNNATURAL OFFENCES IN THE GAOL.—Warder Compton reported to me on the occasion referred to in question 181. It was impossible that what was alleged could of happened, and I did not report it further. I have not heard of anything of the kind among the boys. That is impossible also, because the boys are kept nearly always locked up. It is difficult to provide sufficient exercise for the boys. The prison is not fitted for their reception. 757. CLASSIFICATION.—The prison is all upside down for want of proper classification. It would be beneficial both to the department and to the prisoners themselves that the labour of the latter should be utilised. 758. SCHOOL.—There should be a school for the boys, held at least thee or four times a week, and the adults who require it should also be taught. 759. FLOGGING OF PRISONER ISAACS.—Isaacs was a very dangerous prisoner. He was really mad, and his proper place was the lunatic asylum. 760. RULES AND REGULATIONS.—There is a code, but it can not be followed. 761. SUGGESTIONS.—Regular leave of absence for the officers should be provided. We are supposed to get fourteen days' leave in each year, but I have only had 21 days in four years. I cannot get even an uninterrupted seven days' holiday. I work 10½ hours daily, Sundays included, and it takes 14 hours out of each day to do it, from start to finish. I am second in command, but only get the pay of a lower grade. I ought to have the rank and salary corresponding to the duties which I am required to carry out. F. Christie, Warder, examined. 762. PERSONAL.—Entered service September 29th, 1896. No previous experience. Pay, £128 and quarters. In charge of No. 2 Pump Yard. Take my orders from Acting Chief Warder. 763. TRADE.—Know something of mat making, and was brought up as a a handy all-round man on the sea coast of Tasmania. Could teach mat making. 764. PUMP YARD PRISONERS.—About one-fifth of the men in my gang are lunatics. I do not think such men should be in the prison at all. 765. SUGGESTIONS.—At Rottnest a good deal of money could be made out of the services of the native prisoners by making oil out of sharks, and selling the sharks' bodies for manure. I could take charge of any work of that kind, if required, having had experience of it in Tasmania. Jas. F. Munro, a Warder, examined. 766. PERSONAL—Entered service September 1st, 1896. Had previous experience at St. Helena, Queensland. Was a Warder there nine years. Pay, £126 and quarters. In charge of the cook- house. 767. TRADE.—Baker. 768. MEAT.—I receive the meat and weigh it. It is first-class prime meat. There is a fair proportion of hind-quarters. 769. FLOUR.—The flour has recently been too new, and some of it had to be rejected; otherwise there has been no cause for complaint. 770. POTATOES.—These are picked over, and the bad rejected and returned to the contractor. 771. RICE.—This has always been good. 772. VEGETABLES, GENERALLY.—There is too little variety in the vegetable diet as compared with Queensland, where, for six months in the year, cabbages are plentifully supplied. More variety in the food would prevent much grumbling. 773. COOKING UTENSILS.—These are old-fashioned, and the mode of cooking primitive. At St. Helena the men mess in the yard in the open. There are upwards of 300 prisoners there, and the cooking appliances are first-class. 774. GRUEL—It would be perfectly practicable, and it would be much better for the prisoners, to supply the gruel in the morning instead of in the middle of the day.
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