Public Health Act 1848

Superintending Inspectors may summon Witnesses, call for Plans, Rates, &c.

CXXI. And be it enacted, That during any Inquiry by a Superintending Inspector under this Act he may and he is hereby empowered to summon before him any Persons whomsoever, and to examine them upon Oath or otherwise touching any Matter relating to the Purposes of the Inquiry, and he may by any such Summons require any Parochial Officer, or any Officer of or acting under any Corporation, Guardians, or Directors of the Poor, and any Commissioner, Trustee, Officer, or Person acting under any Local Act of Parliament in force within the District or Place to which any such Inquiry may relate, to produce before him any Surveys, Plans, Sections, Rate Books, or other like Documents which may by reason of their Office be in their Custody or Control touching any Matter relating to the Purposes of such Inquiry, and such Inspector may examine, inspect, or take Copies of any such Books, Surveys, Plans, Sections, and Documents, or any of them, or Part thereof; and whosoever wilfully disobeys any such Summons, or prevents any such Inspector from examining, inspecting, or taking Copies as last aforesaid, or refuses to answer any Question put to him by such Inspector for the Purposes of the said Inquiry, shall be liable to a Penalty not exceeding Five Pounds: Provided always, that no Person shall be required to attend in obedience to any such Summons unless the reasonable Charges of his Attendance shall have been paid or tendered to him; and no Person shall be required in any Case, in obedience to any such Summons, to travel more than Ten Miles from his Place of Abode.