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Before whom convictions may be had.
Penalties how to be levied and applied.
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7. All convictions for penalties for any offence against this Act may be had before two or more justices of the peace acting for the county, riding, city, borough, division, or place where the offence shall happen, or before the sheriff of any county in Scotland; and such penalties, and the cost and charges attending the recovery thereof, shall be levied by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of the offender or person liable or ordered to pay the same respectively, by warrant under the hands and seals of two or more of the said justices, or under the hand of any such sheriff, rendering the overplus of such distress and sale (if any) to the party or parties, after deducting the charge of making the same; which warrant such justices or sheriffs are hereby empowered and required to grant, upon conviction of the offender by confession, or oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses; and the penalties, costs and charges, when so levied, shall be paid, the one half to the informer, and the other half to the overseers or mangers of the poor of the parish, township, or place where the offender shall dwell and inhabit, to be by such overseers or mangers applied in aid of the rate or assessment raised for the relief of the poor of such parish, township, or place, and in Scotland, in parishes where there shall be no assessment for the relief of the poor, as the said managers shall direct, or to her Majesty in case there shall be no such overseer or manger.
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