[“The State Prisons”, The West Australian, Saturday 04 September 1909, page 5]
THE STATE PRISONS.
ANNUAL REPORT BY THE COMPTROLLER-GENERAL.
The annual report of Mr. Oct. Burt, the Comptroller-General of Prisons, dated June 30 last, was presented to Parliament yesterday. It deals with the year 1908, and in it Mr. Burt states, inter alia:—
...
The number of distinct persons committed during the year was 2,416 . The largest increase of commitments during the year was at Derby as in 1907, and the largest decrease at Fremantle. The daily average number of prisoners of all kinds maintained in the State gaols during the year was 721.14, of whom 340.83 were aborigines, an increase of 49.50 on 1907, in which year the total was 671.64; the average number of males being 667.54. females 53.64.
...
The gaol statistics still continue to be swollen by offences non-criminal in character. There has been an increase during the year in the following offences:—Manslaughter, idle and disorderly, stowaways, cattle-killing, vagrancy, deserting ship, common assault, against fishery laws, stealing (grave offence), and a decrease in burglary, offences against property, stealing (petty), disorderly conduct, unlawful possession, drunkenness, gaming, falsely representing to be travellers, refusing duty.
...
I would again call attention to the number of native prisoners convicted on their own admission of guilt, principally for killing cattle. I do not think a plea of guilty should be accepted from an untutored savage.
AB notes:
1908: 664 aborigines committed, or 18.81% of total 3,530.
1908: largest number of commitments at Derby (same as 1907)
1908: on average day in the year, 340 out of 721 aboriginal
1908: that 340 up 50 from previous year
1908: 2 years on, Burt comments again on the number of aboriginals convicted on plea of guilty.
