Victoria Prisoners' diet from 1960 to 1970

The prisoners had different rations every day. The prison provided Chinese, Indian and Western diets according to the prisoners’ nationalities. Since 1970, vegetable diet was also available in respect for the prisoners’ religion believes. Indian diet was available in the 1960s with curry, chapatti, green beans etc. There was O/N meal (O/N stood for “other national”) with bread, cheese and milk tea. Although Japanese and Vietnamese prisoners were called “other national” as well, they could not have O/N meals. The prison would determine what the best diet was for the prisoner.

If a prisoner broke the rules in prison,  he/she would receive the“rice and water”punishment by locking them in a cell block in Hall D for 7 days, having 2 meals a day only with rice, a cup of tea and some salt (the meals were not served by the normal antimony plate with compartments but just a plain one). The “rice and water” punishment was abolished in 1981 due to human right concern.