Every person taken into custody by any Police Officer, without warrant, except persons detained for the mere purpose of ascertaining their name and residence, shall forthwith be delivered into the custody of the Police Officer in charged of a Station House, in order that such person may be secured until he brought before a Magistrate to be dealt with according to law, or may give bail for his appearance before a Magistrate, if the Officer in charge shall deem it prudent to take bail as hereinafter mentioned;
    Proviso.----Provided always that, where bail is not taken, the prisoner shall be brought before a Magistrate within twenty-four hours, unless circumstances render delay unavoidable.