Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Kennedy, Arthur to
Cardwell, Edward 3 June 1865, CO 305:25, no. 7323, 418.
Abstract
Kennedy, Arthur to
Cardwell, Edward 3 June 1865, CO 305:25, no. 7323, 418.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1).
No. 34, Miscellaneous
3rd June 1865
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular
Despatch, 16th January 1865, covering printed Interrogatories
respecting the construction, state, discipline and management of the
Prison in this Colony, which I now return with replies thereto.
I fear it will be gathered from this document that the Prison, and
system of penal servitude as carriedout
out in this Colony are capable
of very great improvement.
out in this Colony are capable
of very great improvement.
The condition of the Gaol until recently placed under the control of
the present Superintendent of Police was simply disgraceful. Its
order and cleanliness are now unexceptionable, but the building
itself is wholly unsuitable for the purpose to which it is devoted,
and without sufficient laws to conduct it. I regret that I cannot at
present see my way to procuring the enactment of suitable laws or the
means to provide a new building.
There
There are no means of carrying out the Separate System of which all
observing men must concur in the advantages.
Until very recently sane and insane persons were sometimes confined
in the same cell.
The labour exacted is that of the ordinary kind, such as cleansing,
digging, quarrying, road making &c being the only kind at present
practicable.
Baths, washhouses &c have been recently added to the Prison.
I need scarcely state that I amdeeply
deeply impressed with the importance
of this subject and the great necessity which exists for reformation
in all connected with the custody and management of criminals in this
Colony, and with that object I hope to submit measures for the
adoption of the Legislature in the next Session.
deeply impressed with the importance
of this subject and the great necessity which exists for reformation
in all connected with the custody and management of criminals in this
Colony, and with that object I hope to submit measures for the
adoption of the Legislature in the next Session.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
"Interrogatories respecting the Construction, State, Discipline,
and Management of each Prison, House of Correction, Lock-up House,
Convict Depôt, Penal Settlement, or other place of Confinement in
the Colony of [Vancouver Island]," with answers appended thereto (37
questions, 37 pages).
Minutes by CO staff
Very straightforward answers. Sensible—a formerly very bad prison
recently improved in administration.
recently improved in administration.