530
Short title.
No. 13.] THE ORDINANCES OF HONGKONG: [A.D. 1886.
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Commissioners' Powers Ordinance, 1886.
GG. 2·11-01
Power to Governor-in-Council to appoint commissioners.
2. GM 390g c. 105 s. 5.
33 & 34 Vict. c. 105 s. 6.
4.757 Mine Commins in G <50/06 9 9.5.28-1.06
910.
Powers of commissioners.
lb. s. 6.
2. The Governor-in-Council shall have power to nominate and appoint commissioners under the seal of the Colony for the purpose of instituting, making, and conducting any inquiry that may be deemed advisable or necessary and for reporting thereon; and also to appoint a secretary or clerk to such commissioners, at such salary or remuneration as he may think fit; and, in case of any vacancy occurring in the office of any commissioner, secretary, or clerk so appointed by reason of such commissioner, secretary, or clerk dying, resigning, declining, or being or becoming incapable to act, from time to time in like manner to fill up such vacancy.
3. All commissioners so appointed as aforesaid shall, if the Governor-in-Council deems it necessary or expedient and provided that the commission under which they are appointed so directs, have all or any of the powers, rights, and privileges following; that is to say---
(1.) all such powers as are now or may hereafter be vested in the Supreme Court or in any Judge for the time being thereof on the occasion of any action or suit in respect of the following matters :-
(a.) the enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them upon oath, affirmation, or otherwise, as it or he may think fit :
(b) the compelling the production of documents:
(c) the punishing persons guilty of contempt; and
(d.) the ordering an inspection of any property:
and in such cases a summons under the hand of the chairman or presiding member of any such commission as aforesaid, countersigned by the secretary or clerk, if any, to the commissioners may be substituted for and shall be equivalent to any form of process capable of being issued in any action or suit for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or compelling the production of documents; and any warrant of committal to prison issued for the purpose of enforcing such powers as aforesaid shall be under the hand of the chairman or presiding member of any such commission as aforesaid, countersigned by the secretary or clerk as aforesaid, if any, and shall not authorize the imprisonment of any offender for a period exceeding three months;
(2.) the power, for the purposes of their commission, to enter and view any premises; and
(3.) the right to conduct every examination of witnesses as aforesaid either in public or private, as their commission may direct : Provided that if such examination is conducted in public, due notice shall be given of the time and place of holding the same,