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Ten Days Stepping it out, on the TREAD MILL.
One of the larky boys, John Wilson, prisoner of the crown, was charged last Monday with having furiously driven a chaise in the streets of Sydney, to the great danger of the passengers and moreover, with wantonly and cruelly beating the horse he was driving in the said chaise and himself in a great state of intoxication.
This stepper-out was sentenced by His Honour to like-wise step it out for ten days at the tread-mills, newly erected at Carter's Barracks.
We are pleased to observe that these discipline mills which are productive of obvious utility in grinding corn, will be the means of curbing such thoughtless behaviour as that mentioned above. The punishment consists of perpetual climbing without being able to idle away a single moment. It is a kind of hard labour to which everyone would have a natural dislike and yet, such as everyone can perform without previous instruction.
The tread-mill much resembles a water-wheel. It consists of long horizontal steps and it is moved round by the prisoners treading on the steps successively; a rail is extended at the top of the wheel, from end to end, by which the treaders support themselves.
The tread-mill was invented by Mr William Cubitt, Civil Engineer of Ipswich and the first constructed was at Brixton gaol for the employment of thirty men. They have now been adopted in a considerable number of gaols in England, but those built last year in Sydney by Mike Mennis at Carter's Barracks, are for ten and fifteen men respectively; Mr E. G. Stack has been appointed Superintendent of Tread-mills in Sydney.
The ditty printed overleaf is in great demand at present in England, where the tread-mill - that terror to evil doers - has excited much attention.
Sydney, July 21 1825
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