1 ( 13)
2 the Magistrate alone only nine days. Nearly 99 per cent. of the
3 witnesses summoned are detained in Court for only one day, or
4 rather the fraction of a day, and this is of great advantage among a
5 people who are used to native rule, wherein evidence is dispensed with,
6 and who might deem it a hardship that under our rule nothing can be
7 decided without taking witnesses from their homes. Again, less than
8 5 per cent. of the cases instituted within the year are pending at the
9 end of it. It may therefore be fairly concluded that people are not need-
10 lessly detained on trial and that the quesaen of guilt or innocence is
11 brought to a speedy issue.
12 19. It were interesting to analyse the punishments inflicted. In the
13 two years the Magistrates passed sentences as follows :—
14 emt VIE, emmennmmmememenmmenr mememmmmnen een
15 Year. | 8 Years, FroméMonths\g Months Fined. | Flogged.| Toran.
16 See oe ee el
17 1854...| 1,714 5,598 | 4,294 | 13,500 | 2,059 | 27,165
18 1855...] 1,158 4,610 | 3,826 | 16,582] 2,078 | 28,204
19 From the above it may be deduced, that punishments are becoming
20 ‘Analysis of punish Milder. This mitigation is indeed desirable, and
21 ments, for all ordinary offences, lengthened imprison-
22 ment is not necessary. The Chief Commissioner and the Judicial Com-
23 missioner have therefore at different times drawn attention to this
24 subject. The Magistrates have been urged to be sparing in their
25 punishments, and to substitute, wherever the Law might permit, such
26 penalties as fines or stripes, instead of fhcarceration. These injunc-
27 tions appear to have been observed. In one class of cases, however,
28 that of cattle-lifting, stripes, as a substittite for imprisonment, have
29 not proved efficacigus. Nothing short of the four walls of a prison seems
30 to deter the cattle-lifter of the Central Punjab from his pastime. The
31 merits of fining as a punishment for many classes of offences are
32 recognized, and it is hoped that this penalty, so immediately felt and
33 so free from the taint: of demoralization, may be more and more re-
34 sorted to,