'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎100r] (61/132)

PRISONS—CIVIL JUSTICE.
1908
,1909.]
27
^ e ] y 'ccused”p ersons an( * disapproved as regards 28. In cases tried with Assessors the Judge
a eed with all Assessors in 75’5 per cent, of the cases and differed from all in 15-9 per cent.
Chap. III.
PROTECTION.
7 . Persons tried by Jury and with the aid o£ Assessors numbered 460 and 1,178 respect- Trial by fey and
In the Courts of Sessions the verdict or the Jury was approved as regards 349 out of Assess o r s.
6. Prisons—Civil and Criminal.
For details see the Annual Report of the Bombay Jail Department for 1908 and tables under Jails
printed in Part VI of the Statistics of British India.
I The total population of all classes of prisons, subsidiary jails, lock-ups and civil
” ils during the year 1908 was 90,408 against 87,250, an increase of 3,158. The daily average
^opulation'was 9,327, showing an increase of 473 compared with the previous year. The total
Population of prisons and 1st and 2nd class subsidiary jails was 24,113, of whom 16,195 were
Pdmitted during the year. Increases in the number of admissions are chiefly found in the
Common Prison, the Central Prisons of Yerdvda and Ahmedabad, the Prisons of Dhulia, Kdrw&r
aD d Karachi and the Thdna Special Prison. Of the 62 juveniles admitted, 32 received sentences
of 1 month or less and 12 had previous convictions. Female convicts numbered 1,548, a
decrease of 26. The ratio of admissions to free population was 0‘156 against 0T45 in 1907.
2. A large increase in the number of prisoners “ released by order of Government ” was
due to the liberation of 714 on the 5Uth anniversary of the assumption of the administration of
India by the Crown. Sixty-two transports were deported to the Andamans, against 40 in the
previous year. Twenty prisoners escaped, against 4 last year, and 8 were re-captured. There
were 24 executions, a decrease of 5 . The number of persons sentenced to imprisonment for
1 month or less increased from 5,167 to 5,342.
3. The number of convicts classified as habituals was 1,967 against 1,665 in 1907.
4. During the year 1,302 persons were identified in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. including Sind,
against 910 in the preceding year.
5. With the increased number of prisoners, offences rose from 15,303 to 19,980.
Punishments awarded by Superintendents numbered 20,296, of which 79 per cent, were minor.
The number of corporal punishments increased by 2 to 110. The total number of individuals
punished was 6,790.
6. During the year 2,743 prisoners were released under the the remission system, show
ing an increase of 503. The new remission system, which will be more intelligible to convicts,
was introduced from the 1st January 1909. The average number of convict officers was 991
males and 9 females against 1,003 males and 11 females in 1907.
7. Prisoners numbering 778 were admitted in the civil jails. The daily average was 51
against 40 in the previous year, and 60 were remaining at the close of the year.
8. The gross expenditure rose from Ks. 7,28,672 to Rs. 8,45,354 and the cost per head
from Rs. 82-10-9 to Rs. 91-2-2. The rise is due to increased population and to unfavourable
contract rates for staple food-grains. The net cash earnings of convicts increased from Rs. 40,346
to Rs. 85,100. As compared with a loss of Rs. 20,544 last year the Yerdvda Central Prison
showed a profit of Rs. 28,233, chiefly due to an increased output and savings at the Press.
The value of jail-made articles sold to Government departments was Rs. 19,620,^an increase of
Rs. 508. The net profit of the quinine industry was Rs. 4,222 against Rs. 3,125 in 1907.
9. The death-rate per mille fell from 20‘3 to 17'4, this being the lowest recorded for 30
years excepting 1905. There was overcrowding in the Common Prison and in those of Bijapur,
Hyderabad, Sukkur, Yer4vda, Dh4rw4r and Karachi, but only Hyderabad, Bijapur and Sukkur
show a death-rate of over 20 per mille. There were altogether 6,044 admissions into hospital
against 5,916 in 1907 and the daily average of sick was 279“8 against; 255 7. Deaths numbered
162 against 180. Of prisoners discharged during the year 56 1 per cent, had gained and 19*2
per cent, had lost weight.
7- Civil Justice.
For details see the Annual Report on the Administration of Civil Jastice for the year 1908 and table Civil
Justice printed in Part VI of the Statistics of British India.
1 The total number of civil cases decided during the year decreased by 8,430 to o0l,515,
of which 44'6 per cent, were regular suits and 53‘2 per cent, miscellaneous cases against _
and 56'S per cent, respectively during 1907. The number of suits instituted was , ^ j
showing an increase of 7,477. The percentage of suits for money or movable property tell
Horn 75 4 to 73’7 and that of suits relating to immovable property rose from 15-9 to 15;2.
The aggregate value of suits rose from Rs. 4,03,46,807 to Rs. 4,57,26,170. Wff t ees( t e P l ?^-
of those falling between Rs. 5,000 and Rs, 10,000 in value the number ot all kinds of suits
showed an increase.
2. There were 170,133 suits for disposal, of which 134,351 were decided leaving a balance
35,782 against 31,823 at the end of the preceding year. The percentage of contested suits
37-3. The average duration of contested suits fell from 175 days to 167 days, and uhat
o
Population*
Disposal of
prisoners.
Habitual criminals.
Finger Impression
Bureau.
Punishments.
Mark system and
convict officers.
Civil prisoners.
Finance.
Vital.
Number and value of
suits.
Disposal of suits.