HAMPSHIRE EPIPHANY QUARTER SESSIONS.
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VISTING JUSTICES REPORT.
Lord H. CHOLMONDELEY read this report which was as follows : —"The Visiting Justices have to report that during the first quarter the prison has been free from infectious disease, that the prisoners have been generally healthy, and that their conduct has been on the whole satisfactory. It is with much regret that the Visiting Justices inform the court of the suicide of a prisoner named Thomas Parker, who hung himself with his hammock strap on the 13th of November last. From the enquiries of the Visiting Justices, who were at the time in the prison, they are satisfied that no blame for want of due vigilance can attach to any of the officers; The crowded state of the prison during the last quarter has been a subject of deep anxiety to the Justices, as for several days in the month of November nearly every cell on the small side of the prison was occupied. From the examination of various returns it does not appear that the crowded state of the gaol during the last two winters is to be attributed to any general increase of crime in the county, but from the locality of the military establishments and more especially from the camp at Aldershott. Returns have been obtained from the three rural divisions of Odiham, Basingstoke and Petersfield for the years 1852-53 before the formation of the camp at Aldershott and for 1855-56 since its full occupation. From these returns it will be found that although in the two latter divisions there has been a considerable diminution of crime, in the division of Odiham, in which the camp is situated, offences have increased in a remarkable degree. In Basingstoke division the committals and summary convictions for the years 1852-3 were 71; and in 1855-6 only 58. In Petersfield division the numbers for the former period were 99, and for the latter were reduced to 51, whereas in the division of Odiham the committals and summary convictions which in 1852-3 were only 93, in the last two years amounted to the large number of 326, and at Gosport from 271 to 535. In consequence of the diminution in the number of troops at Aldershott, and from the breaking up of tbe camp at Brown Down near Stokes Bay, it is hoped that the committals from those localities will in future be reduced. The Visiting Justices desire to express their approval of the zeal and activity with which the officers of the prison have performed their arduous duties during the past quarter. The sanction, of the court is requested to the appointment of Walter Knapp, as messenger in the room of James Beckett, who has been nominated to the office of assistant warder, vacant by the resignation of John Norgett. The bills for the quarter have amounted to £917 6s. The committals during the quarter have been 457 males and females, and there were in confinement on Dec. 28th, 278 prhoners.—H. CHOLMONDELEY, Chairman.'
The report was ordered to lie on tbe table.
Captain Mildmay said In reference to the vast amount of crime which had disgrased the locality, he was prepared to show that it was not caused by the rural population. Some years ago, 1849, he got a return made of the number of acres and the population over which the Odiham Bench had jurisdiction. The latter amounted to 15,215 persons and the former to 51,282 acres. Since then the population had doubled itself, and the work was now really too much for them. At that time there were 169 convictions in three years, while the present number was 226 in nine months or a proportion of 300 to one. In making that statement be hoped they would sever Aldershott from the Odiham Bench which would be a great relief to the magistrates.