Section 268

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

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which the provisions of this Ordinance apply, not unnecessarily detaining or delaying her from proceeding on any voyage;

may enter and inspect any premises the entry or inspection of which appears to him to be requisite for the purposes of the report which he is directed to make;

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 inquires he thinks fit to make;

may require and enforce the production of all books, papers, or documents which he considers important for the purpose of his report; and

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

(which shall be free from stamp duty) of the truth of the statements made by him in his examination.

Every witness summoned under this section shall be allowed such expenses as would be allowed to a witness attending on summons to give evidence before the High Court;

and in the case of any dispute as to the amount of those expenses, the same shall be referred to a Registrar of the High Court and the Registrar 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.

If any person refuses to attend as a witness before an inspector or before any person having the powers of an inspector, after having been required to do so in the 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 declaration which an inspector or person having the powers of an inspector is hereby empowered to require, that person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of two hundred dollars.

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Penalty for obstructing inspectors in the execution of their duty.