Justices may in certain cases order dead bodies to be buried

(1) Where the body of any person who has died from any infectious disease remains unburied elsewhere than in a mortuary or in a room not used at the time as a dwelling-place, sleeping-place or work-room, for more than twelve hours after death without the sanction of a medical officer of health or of a registered medical practitioner, or where the dead body of any person is retained in any house or building so as to endanger the health of the inmates of such house or building, or of any adjoining or neighbouring house or building, any justice of the peace may, on the application of a medical officer of health, order the body to be removed to any available mortuary, and direct the same to be buried within a time to be stated in the order, and any justice of the peace may, in the case of the body of any person who has died of any infectious disease, or in any case in which he considers immediate burial necessary, direct the body to be so buried. (2) Unless the friends or relatives of the deceased undertake to bury and do bury the body within the time stated 53 in such order, it shall be the duty of an officer employed for the purpose by the Public Services Commission or a local authority to bury such body, and any expense so incurred may be recovered by such officer in a summary manner from any person legally liable to pay the expenses of such burial. rubbish into ash- pits.