73Application and issue of warrants generally

73 Application and issue of warrants generally

(1)  An authorised officer or a gas officer may apply to a justice of the peace for a warrant to enter a place specified in the application, for the purpose of enabling the officer to perform the officer's functions, or exercise the officer's powers, under this Act, in relation to the place.

(2)  A justice of the peace may, on the application of an authorised officer or gas officer under subsection (1) , issue a warrant to the officer to enter a place for the purposes of performing the officer's functions, or exercising the officer's powers, under this Act, in relation to the place.

(3)  A warrant authorises the authorised officer, or gas officer, to whom it is issued, with any assistants and by any force reasonably necessary –

(a) to enter the place specified in the warrant; and

(b) to do, at any time, or within any period, specified in the warrant, anything that the officer is authorised to do by this Act.

(4)  An authorised officer, or a gas officer, must be accompanied by a police officer when entering a place with the authority of a warrant.

(5)  A warrant is to specify the date on which, and the time at which, the warrant ceases to have effect.