12 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE • Mr. John M'Mullen. V ^ J ( l May.) contractor has not for some time back been worth more than three- halfpence ptr pound, and by the existing contract for the gaol milk, is at two- pence per quart. If you are in possession of any document which will enable you to do so, will you inform the Committee what has been, during the last year, the daily expense of food for supporting the prisoners in the county gaol of Kent at Maidstone ?— For the quarter from Easter sessions to Midsummer sessions 1821, the average cost of the daily food of each prisoner was fourpence halfpenny, and three quarters of a farthing ; and from Midsummer to Michaelmas sessions 1821, the average cost was four- pence and the fourteenth part of a penny ; from Michaelmas to Epiphany the average cost was three- pence three farthings and three- tenths of a farthing, and • in the quarter from Epiphany to Easter 1822, the average cost was three- pence halfpenny and one eighth of a penny. Therefore, in every instance the Committee are to understand, that the expense for food in the gaol of the county of Kent, has been less than the expense for food in the gaols of the city of Dublin ?— Certainly. What is the average number of committals to Newgate at present ?— About 2,000 ; last year the number was 2,135, that number includes, however, not only those who are committed for trial, but also those sent to Newgate as to a house of correction for short terms, under summary convictions by a magistrate; from the ist of January to the 22d of April, the day on which I visited the prison, the com- mittals were 740. What is the average number of prisoners and convicts at present confined in Newgate?— I extracted from the books of the prison an account, to show the num- ber it at present contains, which I will produce to the Committee; the average is 275 daily, and by striking a similar average, it would appear that about forty- three of those were convicts under rule of transportation. { The witness delivered in the same, which is as follows:] " Number of prisoners confined in Newgate, stated at intervals from the ist of January to the 15th of April 1823. January 1. 15- February 1. 14. March 1. 15. April 1. 15. Totals. 312 289 301 268 214 248 310 255 8 | 2197 Daily average about - - 275 Prisoners under rule of transportation included in the above. Males. 303 43 Females. January 1. 52 - - 3 — 15. 57 - - 4 February 1. 61 - - 4 — 14. 64 - 5 March 1. 10 - 6 - 15. 16 - - 6 April 1. 19 - - 6 — 15- 24 - 9 43 8 | 346 Daily average - - 43 Taking the average number of prisoners as you have stated it at 275, what would be the amount of the charge for the subsistence of the prisoners?— About 2,100/. yearly. What