Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2150

1940 twelve months from the date of such death, or from the finding of the dead body elsewhere than in a house, by notice in writing, require any person whose duty it was to give information to appear, in person, before him within a specified time (not less than seven days after the receipt of the notice), and discharge the duty imposed upon him.

Restrictions on Registration after Twelve Months from the Date of Death.—After the expiration of twelve months from the date of death, or the finding of a dead body elsewhere than in a dwelling-house, such death cannot be registered except with the written authority of the Registrar-General, and in accordance with special rules. For registration under such circumstances a fee of 10s. is payable.

Correction of Errors.—An error of fact in the register may be corrected on payment of a fee of 2s. 6d., and upon production to the registrar of a statutory declaration, setting forth the nature of the error and the true facts of the case, and made by two persons required to give information concerning the death, or in default of such persons by two credible persons having knowledge of the case.

Burial of Still-born Children.—A person must not wilfully bury, or procure to be buried, the body of any deceased child as if it were still-born. A still-born child must not be buried in any burial ground unless there be delivered to the person burying it, either

(a) A written certificate that such child was not born alive, signed by a registered medical practitioner who was in attendance at the birth or has examined the body of the child; or

(b) A declaration signed by some person who, if the child had been born alive, would have been required to give information concerning its birth, to the effect that no registered medical practitioner was present at the birth, or that his certificate cannot be obtained, and that the child was not born alive; or

(c) If there has been an inquest, an order of the coroner.

Any person acting in contravention of the above provisions is liable to a penalty not exceeding £10.

Penalty for not giving Information or not complying with the Registrar's Requisitions.—A person who is required to give information concerning a death in the first instance, and not merely in default of some other person, will, if such information as is required is not duly given, be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s. Every person who refuses or fails without reasonable excuse to give or send any certificate in accordance with his duty, and every person required to give any information concerning any death or any dead body who wilfully refuses to answer any question put to him by the registrar relating to the particulars required to be registered, or fails to comply with any requisition of the registrar in pursuance of his duties, will be liable to a similar penalty.

Penalty for False Statements, etc.—A person who commits any of the following offences—
 * 1) Wilfully makes a false answer to any question put to him by the registrar relating to the particulars required to be registered, or wilfully gives him false information concerning any death or the cause of death;
 * 2) Wilfully makes any false certificate or declaration, or forges or falsifies any certificate, etc., or knowing such certificate, etc., to be false uses the same as true;
 * 3) Wilfully makes, gives, or uses, any false statement or representation as to a child born alive having been still-born;
 * 4) Makes any false statement with intent to have it entered in any register; will for each offence be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding £10, and on conviction on indictment to fine or to penal servitude for a term not exceeding seven years.