The Colony is worked in two sections, Hoogstraeten and Wortel proper; at the former the helpless and sick are received, at the latter the able-bodied and those who, though infirm, are yet able to do light work. The maximum duration of detention, as has been explained, is one year, but any colonist may take his discharge directly he has saved 12s. from his earnings, or can show that he has work to go to. The average stay of able-bodied inmates is two or three months, but a certain number are allowed to remain beyond the year. The following table shows the numbers who entered and left the Wortel House of Refuge in the years 1902 to 1908:-- ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- | 1902. | 1903. | 1904. | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Admitted | 4,389 | 3,428 | 3,546 | 3,057 | 2,505 | 2,402 | 2,798 +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Discharged | 4,034 | 3,372 | 3,413 | 3,116 | 2,318 | 2,105 | 2,215 Transferred | 177 | 138 | 142 | 135 | 125 | 152 | 142 Absconded | 85 | 72 | 40 | 58 | 59 | 91 | 118 Died | 87 | 99 | 99 | 74 | 82 | 92 | 83 +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Total | 4,383 | 3,681 | 3,694 | 3,383 | 2,584 | 2,440 | 2,558 +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- Detained on | | | | | | | December 31 | 2,003 | 1,750 | 1,602 | 1,276 | 1,197 | 1,159 | 1,399 ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- The frequency of commitment during the same years was as follows:-- -------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- Number of Times |1901.|1902.|1903.|1904.|1905.|1906.|1907.|1908. Committed. | | | | | | | | -------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- For the first time |1,523|1,483|1,281|1,296|1,070| 903| 856|1,222 For the second time| 709| 772| 555| 596| 524| 402| 375| 435 For the third time | 413| 478| 380| 389| 320| 232| 234| 261 For the fourth time| 291| 329| 257| 249| 249| 174| 176| 163 For the fifth time,| | | | | | | | or oftener |1,238|1,327| 955|1,016| 894| 794| 761| 717 +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- Total number of | | | | | | | | admissions |4,174|4,389|3,428|3,546|3,057|2,505|2,402|2,798 -------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----