§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether a treadmill, sufficiently large for a second-class prison in England, is now being built in Her Majesty's prison in the Island of St. Kitt's; whether it is customary to order shot drill in the West Indian Islands as a punishment for the prisoners; and whether he will take steps to abolish such punishments as unsuitable for the climate of those islands?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.I understand that a treadmill has been set up, or is being set up, in the Prison at Basseterre, in St. Kitt's, sufficiently large for the requirements of that prison, but I am unable to say whether it would be sufficiently large for a second-class prison in England. It is customary to order shot drill in the West Indian Islands as a punishment for prisoners, and I have reason to consider such punishments, which are only inflicted on prisoners after examination by the prison surgeon, to be unsuitable to the climate of those Islands.