All civil officers must inform the public administrator of all property known to them belonging to a decedent which is liable to loss, injury, or waste and which, by reason thereof, ought to be in the possession of the public administrator.
En. Sec. 338, p. 327, L. 1877; re-en. Sec. 338, 2nd Div. Rev. Stat. 1879; re-en. Sec. 338, 2nd Div. Comp. Stat. 1887; re-en. Sec. 4515, Pol. C. 1895; re-en. Sec. 3078, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 9995, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 1731; re-en. Sec. 9995, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 91-606.