Hire-Purchase (Amendment) Act, 1960

Powers of authorised officers.

9.—(1) An authorised officer may, for the purpose of obtaining any information which the Minister may require for enabling him to exercise his functions under this Part of this Act, at all reasonable times enter premises at which the business of letting goods, whether under hire-purchase agreements or otherwise, or selling goods by credit-sale agreements is carried on and do any one or more of the following things—

(a) inspect the premises,

(b) require the person who carries on such business and any person employed in connection therewith to produce to him any books, documents or records relating to such business which are in that person's power or control and to give him such information as he may reasonably require in regard to any entries in such books, documents or records,

(c) inspect and copy or take extracts from such books, documents or records,

(d) require such person to give to him any information he may reasonably require in regard to the persons carrying on such business (including, in particular, in the case of an unincorporated body of persons, information in regard to the membership thereof and of its committee of management or other controlling authority) or employed in connection therewith,

(e) require such person to give to him any other information which he may reasonably require in regard to such business.

(2) No one shall be required by virtue of section 7 of this Act or subsection (1) of this section to answer any question or to give any evidence tending to criminate himself.

(3) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, if any person obstructs or impedes an authorised officer in the exercise of his powers under this section or does not comply with a requirement under section 7 of this Act or under this section, that person shall be guilty of an offence.