PART 8
BOARDS OF INQUIRY
Appointment of board of inquiry
74.—(1)  The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint a board of inquiry and direct the board to inquire into and report to him upon a matter defined in the notification being a matter included within the definition of “industrial matters” in section 2.
(2)  The Minister shall not exercise the power conferred by subsection (1) in relation to a matter unless he is of the opinion that there are special circumstances by reason of which the matter would not otherwise be satisfactorily regulated by collective agreements or awards made under this Act.
Constitution of board of inquiry
75.—(1)  A board of inquiry shall consist of a chairman and such other persons as the Minister thinks fit to appoint or may, if the Minister thinks fit, consist of one person appointed by the Minister.
(2)  A board of inquiry may act notwithstanding any vacancy in its number.
Procedure and powers of board
76.—(1)  The Minister may make regulations as to the procedure of any board of inquiry including regulations as to summoning and payment of expenses of witnesses, quorum and the appointment of committees and enabling the board to call for such documents as the board may determine to be relevant to the subject matter of the inquiry.
(2)  Provision shall be made by the regulations with respect to the cases in which a person may appear by an advocate and solicitor in proceedings before a board of inquiry and except as provided by those regulations no person shall be entitled to appear in any proceedings by an advocate and solicitor.
(3)  A board of inquiry may, if and to such extent as may be authorised by regulations made under this Act, by order require any person who appears to the board to have any knowledge of the subject matter of the inquiry to furnish in writing or otherwise such particulars in relation thereto as the board may require and, where necessary, to attend before the board and give evidence on oath or affirmation.
Reports
77.—(1)  A board of inquiry shall, either in public or in private at its discretion, inquire into any matters referred to it and report thereon to the Minister.
(2)  A board of inquiry may if it thinks fit make interim reports.
(3)  Any report of a board of inquiry, and any minority report, shall be presented as soon as possible to Parliament.
(4)  The Minister may, whether before or after any such report has been presented to Parliament, publish or cause to be published from time to time in such manner as he thinks fit any information obtained or conclusion arrived at by the board of inquiry as a result or in the course of its inquiry.
(5)  There shall not be included in any report or publication made or authorised by the board of inquiry or the Minister any information obtained by the board in the course of its inquiry as to any trade union or as to any individual business (whether carried on by a person, firm or company) which is not available otherwise than through evidence given at the inquiry except with the consent of the trade union or of the person, firm or company in question.
(6)  Any individual member of the board of inquiry or any person concerned in the inquiry who, without such consent, discloses any such information shall be guilty of an offence.