Section 25

Any person who shall print or cause to be printed a copy of any law now or hereafter in force or a copy of any report, paper, minutes or votes and proceedings of the House or any committee as purporting to have been printed by the Government Printer, or by or under the authority of the House, or any committee, or by the President, and the same is not so printed or shall tender in evidence any such copy as purporting to be so printed, knowing that the same was not so printed, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years.

Certificate of President a defence in proceedings instituted in respect of publications of the House 26.

Any person being a defendant in any civil or criminal proceedings instituted for or on account or in respect of the publication by such person or by his servant by order or under the authority of the House or any committee, of any reports, papers, minutes, votes, or proceedings, may, on giving to the plaintiff or prosecutor, as the case may be, twenty-four hours written notice of his intention, bring before the court in which such civil or criminal proceedings are being held, a certificate under the hand of the President, or of the Clerk, stating that the reports, papers, minutes, votes, or proceedings, in respect whereof such civil or criminal proceedings have been instituted, were published by such person or by his servants by order or under the authority of the House or any

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committee, together with an affidavit verifying such certificate, and such court shall thereupon immediately stay such civil or criminal proceedings and the same and every process issued therein shall be deemed to be finally determined.

Privileged publications 27.

In any civil or criminal proceedings instituted for publishing any extract from or abstract of any such report, paper, minutes, votes, or proceedings, as in the preceding section mentioned, if the court or jury, as the case may be, be satisfied that such extract or abstract was published bona fide and without malice judgment or verdict, as the case may be, shall be entered for the defendant or accused.

President to act notwithstanding dissolution or prorogation of

House 28.

For the purposes of this Act, the person who fills the office of President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, at the time of prorogation or dissolution of

Parliament shall be deemed to be the President until Parliament is again summoned or until another person has been chosen to be

President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, in accordance with Article 56 or 57 of the

Federal Constitution.

Additional penalty by the House