Royal Commissioners' Powers Act Amendment Act 1914 (WA)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

ANNO QUINT()

GEORGII QUINTI REGIS 9

VI.

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No. 6 of 1914.

AN ACT to amend the Royal Commissioners'

Powers Act, 1902.

[Assented to 8th August, 1914.]

Legislative Assembly of -Western Australia, in this present Par-BE it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by andwith the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and

liament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

1. This Act may be cited as the Royal Commissioners' Powers Act short l title.

Amendment Act, 1914, and shall be read as one with the Royal

Commissioners' Powers Act, 1902, hereafter referred to as the principal Act.

Section three of the principal Act is amended by omitting the word " one " before the words " hundred pounds," and inserting	section 3.
Amendment of
See Com. No. 4,
in place thereof " five."	1912, s. 4.

2.

3.

Every witness who has been summoned to attend a Royal Commission shall appear and report himself from day to day unless	Duty of witness to continue in attend-
ance.
excused by the Chairman of the Commission or until he is released	'bid, s. .
from further attendance by the Chairman of the Commission.

(1.) If any person served with a summons to attend a Royal Commission as a witness fails to attend the Commission in answer	Arrest of witness
failing to appear.
Ibid, s. 7.
to the summons, the Chairman may, on proof by statutory declara- tion of the service of the summons, issue a warrant for his apprehension.

4.

1914, No. 6.] Royal Commissioners' Powers. [5 GEO. V.

(2.) The warrant shall authorise the apprehension of the witness and his being brought before the Commission, and his detention in custody for that purpose until he is released by order of the Chairman.

(8. ) The warrant may be executed by any member of the police force, or by any person to whom it is addressed. and the person executing it shall have power to break and enter any place, building, or vessel for the purpose of executing it.

(4.) The apprehension of any witness under this section shall not relieve him from any liability incurred by him by reason of his non-compliance with the summons.

sion in relation to 5. A Royal Commission may inspect any documents, books, or

Power of Commis-

documents	writings produced before it, and may retain them for such reasonable
produced.	period as it thinks fit, and may make copies of such matter as is
Ibid. s. 7.	relevant to the inquiry or take extracts from them.

Any person Who uses, causes, inflicts, or procures any violence, punishment, damage, loss, or disadvantage to any person for or on account or his having appeared as a witness before any Royal Commission, or for or on account of any evidence given by him before any Royal Commission, shall be guilty of an offence.

Injury to witness. 6.

Mid. 8.7.

Penalty: Five hundred pounds, or imprisonment for one year.

(1.), Any employer who dismisses any employee from his on account of the employee having appeared as a witness before a Royal Commission, or for or on account of the employee having given evidence before a Royal Commission, shall be guilty of an offence.

Dismissal by 7.

employers of

witness.	employment, or prejudices any employee in his employment, for or Penalty : Five hundred, pounds, or imprisonment for one year. (2.) In any proceeding for an offence against this section it
Ibid. s. 7.
shall lie upon the employer to prove that any employee shown to have been dismissed or prejudiced in his employment was so dismissed or prejudiced for some reason other than the reasons mentioned in sub-section (1) of this section.

By Authority : FRED. WM. Sint.PsoN, Government Printer, Perth.