26. Power to examine person acquainted with case

A mines officer making an investigation under this Act may examine orally any person supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case and shall reduce into writing any statement made by the person so examined.

Such person shall be bound to answer all questions relating to the case put to him by the mines officer:

A person making a statement under this section shall be legally bound to state the truth, whether or not such statement is made wholly or partly in answer to questions.

The mines officer examining a person under subsection (1)

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A statement made by any person under this section shall, whenever possible, be reduced into writing and signed by the person making it or affixed with his thumb-print, as the case may be, after it has been read to him in the language in which he made it and after he has been given an opportunity to make any corrections he may wish, and where the person examined refuses to sign or affix his thumb-print on the statement, the mines officer shall endorse thereon under his hand the fact of such refusal and the reason therefore, if any, stated by the person examined.