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Public Documents Act [Cap 44]

LAWS OF FIJI

Ed. 1978]

CHAPTER 44

PUBLIC DOCUMENTS

Ordinance Nos. 9 of 1884, 37 of 1966.
Act No. 35 of 1974

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRODUCTION IN EVIDENCE OF COPIES OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINALS

[23rd July, 1884.]

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Public Documents Act.

Certified copies of documents in custody of public officers admissible as evidence

2. Whenever any person is entitled to adduce proof in any court of justice or before any person now or hereafter having by law or consent of parties authority to hear, receive and examine evidence of the contents of any book or document in any public office or in the official charge of any public officer, it shall be sufficient if such person produce a copy of such book or document or extract therefrom signed and certified to be correct by the officer to whose custody the original is entrusted, and such copy or extract shall be admissible in evidence in such court or before such person in place of the original:

Judge may order production of original document

Provided that if it shall appear to a judge that the production of the original of any such document is necessary for the purposes of justice he may, by order served upon the public officer in whose custody such original may be, direct its production before any such court or person saving all just exceptions to its being adduced in evidence.

Certified copies of documents to be issued on application. Fees

3. Any person requiring a certified copy of any document or a certified extract of any book in the official custody of a public officer for the purpose of evidence shall apply to the head of the department in which such book or document is kept and such last-mentioned officer may thereupon cause the said certified copy or extract to be issued to the applicant upon payment of a fee of five cents for every folio of seventy-two words or of twenty cents for each copy of a title deed, plan or tracing on cloth and sixty cents for each copy on drawing paper, such fees to be appropriated in such a manner as the *Minister responsible for finance shall from time to time direct.
(Amended by 37 of 1966, s. 13.)
*Delegated to the Permanent Secretary for Finance by Notice 30th July, 1968.

No public officer compellable to produce original documents unless with
special order of Judge

4. No public officer shall be compellable to produce before any such court or person having authority to hear, receive and examine evidence any book or document under his official control or in his official custody unless a judge specially orders the production of such book or document.

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Controlled by Ministry of Attorney-General