167

RULES and REGULATIONS

of Her Majesty’s

GAOL, at Auckland, in the Province of

Auckland and Colony of New Zealand.

1. Every prisoner awaiting trial or under sentence of transportation shall be allowed two hours’ exercise in the yard in the forenoon and two hours in the afternoon of every day. At the hour of exercise each prisoner is to be pointed out to the sentry by the turnkey or officer on duty in the gaol, and such prisoners are not to be allowed to go from under the eye of the sentry during the hours of exercise, at the expiration of which time they are to be returned to the care of the turnkey to be locked up.

2. No prisoner is allowed to visit or go into any cell other than the cell he sleeps in, nor will he be allowed to converse with the guard or with any other prisoner.

3. No singing, loud conversations, or angry expressions will be allowed. Games and amusements of any kind are strictly prohibited, and tobacco strictly forbidden to be used in any shape.

4. Any prisoner disobeying the orders of any officer of the gaol, or showing inattention, disrespect, swearing, or using obscene or abusive language, or breaking any of the rules will be severely punished.

5. The most exact cleanliness and order to be enforced by every officer of the gaol, and the officer on duty to report to the gaoler every defect or neglect connected with the prison.

6. Every prisoner is to attend Divine Service at the appointed time, and to behave himself with the strictest propriety.

7. No prisoner is entitled to the rations on scale No. 3, unless his good conduct merits it, and then in no case without the approbation of the sheriff.

8. Every prisoner (except in case of sickness) is to take his meals in the mess-room, and on no account to be allowed to eat them in his cell.

9. The officer on duty is to see every morning that the bedding be folded up, and each cell swept, and washed if necessary, and then locked up.

10. Every prisoner is to be searched and his name called over at the time for locking up for the night, by the officer on duty.

11. The officer on duty, at eight o’clock in the morning, is to muster and call over the names of the hard labour men, for work, and hand them over to the overseer who is to take them to their respective places of work, (working hours from 8 o’clock in the morning until 12; afternoon, 1 o’clock until 5.)

12. No prisoner shall be allowed to receive provisions of any kind whatever from his friends, but is to live exclusively on gaol rations.

13. The keeper of every gaol shall exercise his power with temper, and without favour, partiality, or personal resentment; he must not strike a prisoner, or use provoking language, and shall require and enforce humanity towards the prisoners from the turnkeys and subordinate officers.

Q. 21.—Are any, and what fees demanded of debtors, or of any other prisoners, either at their admission to, or discharge from, the gaol?

A. None.

22.—GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:—The gaol is extremely insecure, and very unhealthy, from its low situation. Likewise anything like a classification of the prisoners is impossible. The cells are not ventilated, and yet from there not being a sufficient number of them, as many as eight are frequently confined together, the average size of each cell being only 10 feet square.

L. O’BRIEN,
Sheriff.

Sheriff’s Office,
Auckland, July, 1855.

RETURN of Sick Prisoners treated in the Gaol Hospital, from 1st January, 1854, to 31st December, 1854.

WM. DAVIES, M.D.,
Provincial Surgeon, Auckland.

DIETARY SCALE.

Ration No. 1. 1½lb. (one pound and a-half) of Bread

Ration No. 2. 1½lb. (one pound and a-half) of Bread
4oz. (four ounces) of Meat
½lb. (half a pound) of Potatoes
½oz. (half an ounce) of Salt
¼oz. (quarter of an ounce) of Soap

Ration No. 3. 1¼ (one pound and a quarter) of Bread
12oz. (twelve ounces) of Meat
½lb. (half a pound) of Potatoes
½oz. (half an ounce) of Salt
¼oz. (quarter of an ounce) of Soap

L. O’BRIEN,
Sheriff.