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Owners of materials delivered to weavers. &c. to be worked up, may at all reasonable hours enter into shops or outhouses to inspect such materials.
In case of refusal the owner may apply to a justice for a search warrant.
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13. [Recital.] It shall be lawful for the owner or owners of any such materials, or any other person duly authorised by him or them, from time to time, as occasion shall require, to demand leave of entrance, and enter, at all reasonable hours in the daytime, into the shops or outhouses of any person or persons employed by him or them to work up or manufacture any of the said materials, or other place or places where the work shall be carried on, and there to inspect the state and condition of such materials; and in case of refusal by any such person or persons so employed to permit such entrance of inspection, such owner or other authorized person may go before the nearest justice of the peace and make oath that such materials have been entrusted to a weaver, sewer, or other person, and that he has reasonable grounds for suspecting some loss or injury to the property so intrusted as aforesaid, as such person has refused to permit the same to be inspected; and it shall be lawful for such justice, and he is hereby required, to issue his warrant to search the dwelling house and premises of such person; and if the whole of the materials so intrusted cannot be found therein, or cannot be produced to the constable executing the warrant, such constable shall apprehend such person, and bring him before some justice of the peace, there to be examined; and if upon such examination it shall be found that such person has fraudulently sold, pawned, purloined, or embezzled, secreted, exchanged, or otherwise fraudulently disposed of any such property, he shall be liable to any of the punishments awarded for such offence under this Act; but if it shall be found that no such offence has been committed, such person shall, for so refusing to permit such entrance for reasonable inspection, forfeit any sum not exceeding ten shillings, as the justice before whom he shall be examined shall think proper, to be applied, in the first place, in defraying the expences of the prosecution, and, in the next place, as any other penalty under this Act.
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