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Powers of inspectors.
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729.—(1) An inspector so appointed (in this Act referred to as a Board of Trade inspector) and any person having the powers of a Board of Trade inspector—
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(a) may go on board any ship and inspect the same or any part thereof, or any of the machinery, boats, equipments, or articles on board thereof to which the provisions of this Act apply, not unnecessarily detaining or delaying her from proceeding on any voyage; and
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(b) may enter and inspect any premises the entry or inspection of which appears to him to be requisite for the purpose of the report which he is directed to make; and
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(c) may, by summons under his hand, require the attendance of all such persons as he thinks fit to call before him and examine for the purpose of his report, and may require answers or returns to any inquiries he thinks fit to make; and
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(d) may require and enforce the production of all books, papers, or documents which he considers important for the purpose of his report; and
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(e) may administer oaths, or may, in lieu of requiring or administering an oath, require every person examined by him to make and subscribe a declaration of the truth of the statements made by him in his examination.
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(2) Every witness summoned under this section shall be allowed such expenses as would be allowed to a witness attending on subpoena to give evidence before any court of record, or if in Scotland to a witness attending on citation the Court of Justiciary; and in case of any dispute as to the amount of those expenses, the same shall be referred in England or Ireland to one of the masters or registrars of the High Court, and in Scotland to the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer, and the officer shall, on request made to him for that purpose under the hand of the inspector or person having the powers of an inspector, ascertain and certify the proper amount of those expenses.
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(3) If any person refuses to attend as a witness before a Board of Trade inspector or before any person having the powers of a Board of Trade inspector, after having been required to do so in manner provided by this section and after having had a tender made to him of the expenses (if any) to which he is entitled under this section, or refuses or neglects to make any answer, or to give any return, or to produce any document in his possession, or to make or subscribe any declarations which an inspector or person having the powers of an inspector is hereby empowered to require, that person shall for each offence be liable to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.
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