Agricultural Seeds Act, 1936

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Powers of inspection and taking samples.

13.—(1) Any inspector may at all reasonable times enter any shop, store, or other premises (including a booth, stall, cart, barrow, or other place or vehicle in a market or fair) in which agricultural seeds are sold or are offered, exposed, or kept for sale, and may there search for, examine, and take samples of all or any agricultural seeds found by such inspector in such premises, and may, in the case of any such agricultural seeds which are so sold or offered, exposed, or kept for sale in packets closed by seal, gum, glue, or other similar means or in bags, containing not more than seven pounds weight of seeds, the mouths of which are closed by being sewn, tied, or sealed, take any such sample by taking one or more such packets or bags unopened.

(2) Whenever an inspector proposes to take under this section in any premises a sample of agricultural seeds he shall, if so required by the person in charge of such premises, produce his authority as such inspector before taking such sample.

(3) An inspector entering any premises under this section may demand of the person in charge of such premises the name and address of the person from whom any agricultural seeds found by such inspector in such premises were obtained and, on such demand being so made, it shall be the duty of the said person so in charge to furnish to such inspector in writing the name and address so demanded.

(4) The Minister may cause any sample of agricultural seeds taken by an inspector under this section to be tested for purity, germination, freedom from disease, and other matters, and may cause to be published, in such manner as he thinks fit, the result of such test and the names and addresses of both the person in whose premises such sample was so taken and the person from whom the agricultural seeds comprised in such sample were stated by the person in charge of such premises to have been obtained, or the name and address of one of those persons only.

(5) Every person who shall—

(a) obstruct or impede an inspector in the exercise of any of the powers conferred by this section, or

(b) fail or refuse to furnish in writing to an inspector any name or address within his knowledge or procurement which is lawfully demanded of him by such inspector under this section, or so furnish on such demand a name or an address which is to his knowledge false or misleading in any material respect.

shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.