Vagrancy (Ireland) Act, 1847

VAGRANCY (IRELAND) ACT 1847

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

An Act to make Provision for the Punishment of Vagrants and Persons offending against the Laws in force for the Relief of the destitute Poor in Ireland. [22d July 1847.]

[Preamble.]

[S. 1 rep. 38 & 39 Vict. c. 66. (S.L.R.)]

Punishment of persons neglecting to maintain their wives or children.

2. Every person who shall desert or wilfully neglect to maintain his wife or any child whom he may be liable to maintain, so that such wife or child shall become destitute and be relieved in or out of the workhouse of any union in Ireland, shall on conviction thereof before any justice of the peace be committed to the common gaol or house of correction, there to be kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding three calendar months.

Punishment of persons wandering abroad, or begging in public places, &c.

3. Every person wandering abroad and begging, or placing himself in any public place, street, highway, court, or passage to beg or gather alms, or causing or procuring or encouraging any child or children so to do, and every person who, having been resident in any union in Ireland, shall go from such union to some other union, or from one electoral or relief district to another electoral or relief district in Ireland, for the purpose of obtaining relief in such last-mentioned union or district, shall on conviction thereof before any justice of the peace, if such justice shall think fit, be committed to the common gaol or house of correction, there to be kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding one calendar month.

Power to apprehend persons offending against this Act.

4. It shall be lawful for any person whatsoever to apprehend any person whom he shall find offending against this Act, and to take and convey such offender as soon as may be reasonably practicable before any justice of the peace, to be dealt with as is herein-before provided, or to deliver him to any constable or other peace officer of the county or place wherein he shall have been apprehended, to be so taken and conveyed as aforesaid; and it shall be the duty of every constable or peace officer to take into his custody every such offender so delivered to him, and to take and convey such offender before a justice of the peace as soon as may be reasonably practicable, to be dealt with as is directed by this Act.

Warrants for apprehension of offenders.

5. It shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, upon proof that any person hath committed any of the offences herein-before mentioned, to issue his warrant to apprehend such offender, and to bring him before the same or some other justice of the peace, to be dealt with as is directed by this Act.

Proceedings not to be quashed for want of form, &c.

6. No proceeding by or before any justice of the peace under the provisions of this Act shall be quashed for want of form, or shall be removable into any of her Majesty’s superior courts by writ of certiorari; . . .

[S. 7 rep. 55 & 56 Vict. c. 19. (S.L.R.)]

Interpretation.

8. In the construction of this Act every word importing the singular number or masculine gender only shall, except where the context excludes such construction, be understood to include and shall be applied to several persons, matters, or things as well as one person, matter, or thing, and to females as well as males respectively; and the word “justice” shall be understood to include and extend to any justice of the peace or magistrate of a county, county of a city, or county of a town, or of any city or town corporate; and the word “constable” shall be understood to include all chief and other constables and sub-constables appointed under any Act relating to the constabulary force of Ireland, or for the regulation of the police district of Dublin.

[S. 9 rep. 38 & 39 Vict. c. 66. (S.L.R.)]