Corporal Punishment in Gaol.

A report to the Birmingham justices presented by the Visiting Committee stated that there had been 36 serious assaults on prison officers and prisoners at Winson-green Gaol during the year. In some cases the assaults on officers had been found to warrant corporal punishment, but as the interval between the commission of the offence and the date of the infliction of the punishment, necessitated by communications from the Commissioners to the Home Secretary, as laid down by the prison rule, subjected the prisoners to unnecessary suspense, almost amounting to cruelty, the committee were of the opinion that they should have the power to carry out the sentences decided on by them without reference to further authority. Other visiting justices held the same view, and probably a presentment on the subject would be made to the Home Secretary.