In local politico there is no movement. Breathing space is being taken before the officials and unofficials resume the legisla tive combat. The last nct in the past session was one of porce, The Council agreed unanimously to a compromise on the question of gaol extension, and vated 290,000 for its enlargement. For nearly twenty yeats the different Secretaries of State have been urging on the Colony the advisability of providing more ncconmo-Antion for criminals, The colonists have replied in effect that they had no wish by rendering their prison too attractive tuallure all the rascals in K kuangtung to seek its hospitable shelter. The palatialquartersit already affords, combined with very ample, and to the ordinary Chinese evolve luxurious, rations once given did indeed exert too great fascination for the loafer and thief of the mainland, and it became absolutely necessary (o reduce the bill of fare. Even now, however, a term of imprisonment is no real deterrent to the Cantonese criminal, and in dificult. to cure him of his penchant Victoria Gavl, Still it is not quite 80 popular as it was, owing to the less liberal fare, und hus fur several years ensily sufficed for the purpose, with the ence; female prisone) separate building. 'The first: sugges how gaol was made in Sir Artly nedy's time wed duciv vernor Hennessy's administration, and he was in favour of "new building on Stonecutter' Island, in which the separate syst could be carried out effectively, but Bir George Bren deferred Tt aa not urger good care to postpone the work in his
i ired; Sir William Des Vowux also wan work that was not imperative; but the matter waa again brought d "during Guneral Barker's brief ni, to be again opposed and deferred. Sir William Robinson, impressed by the representations of the unofi members and those of t 9 Chinese community, who were strongly op) new gaol, lin succeeded in i Tecretary of State to annction very Bed scheme for the ext of th prose: building, and this work is now actually in progress. A block of houses on the opposite side of Old Bailey, the thoroughfare that bounds the gaol on its western side, is now in course of demolition to form the side for the new wing or adjunct of the prison. Te will be connected with the main building bya tonnd under the roadway, and will give space for the provision of an increased number of separate cells and for a ward for women, The unofficial members were not, I fancy, at all disposed to admit the necessity for even this expenditure in the present state of the colony'y finances, but regarded the proposition xe perhaps the most satisfactory solution of a vexed question, the further deferring of which might lead eventually to grenter demands by the theorists at home.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.