31. Inquiry by Court regarding neglected children and power of committal to reformatory or industrial school.
(1)When a neglected child is produced before a Court, it shall examine the police officer or the authorised person, as the case may be, who produced the child before the Court or made the report, and record the substance of such examination and may send the child to a reception home pending further inquiries.(2)On the date fixed for such further inquiries or on any subsequent date to which the proceedings may be adjourned, the Court shall hear and record all evidence which may be adduced and consider any cause which may be shown under sub-section (2) of section 30.(3)If the Court is satisfied on such inquiry that the child is a neglected child and that it is expedient to deal with him accordingly, the Court may make an order directing that the child shall be sent to and kept in a reformatory or an industrial school, as the case may be, and that the period of this stay in such school shall, save as hereinafter otherwise provided, extend up to the time when he attains the age of eighteen years:Provided that the Cowl may, for reasons to he recorded in writing, shorten the period of his stay in a reformatory or an industrial school:Provided further that where a child attains the age of fourteen years before the expiry of the period of his slay in a reformatory school, he shall be transferred to an industrial school, to be kept therefor the unexpired period.
