- (1) If any officer of the local authority concerned, authorised in that behalf, or any constable finds neglected, abandoned, or without visible means of support, or cruelly treated any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be a defective, he may take such person to a place of safety, and such person may be there detained until a petition under this Act can be presented.
- (2) If it appears to the sheriff on information on oath laid by an officer of, or any person authorised by, the local authority concerned that there is reasonable cause to believe that a defective is neglected or cruelly treated in any place within the sheriff's jurisdiction, the sheriff may issue a warrant authorising any constable named therein, accompanied by the medical officer of the local authority concerned or any other duly qualified medical practitioner named in the warrant, to search for such person, and if they find that he is neglected or cruelly treated, and is defective, to take him to and place him in a place of safety until a petition can be presented under this Act, and any constable authorised by such warrant may enter, and if need be by force, any house, building, or other place specified in the warrant, and may remove such person. therefrom.
- (3) Where the place to which such a person is taken is a poorhouse, the
2773 governor shall receive him into the poorhouse if there is suitable accommodation therein, and any expenses incurred in respect of him shall be defrayed by the local authority concerned.
§ Lords Amendments:—
§ In Sub-section (2), after the word "neglected" ["defective is neglected"], insert the word "abandoned."
§ After the word "is" ["cuelly treated and is"], insert the word "apparently."
§ At the end of Sub-section (3), insert the words, "but shall, if an order is eventually made, be recoverable from the defective or any person liable to maintain him as if they were part of the expenses of his maintenance."