Section 13, The Escheat Ordinance

(1) It shall be lawful for the Court, by summons underits seal and issued by the Master of the Court on the application of any party or at the instance of the Judge himself, to require the attendance before the Court or any officer thereof, at a time and place to be mentioned in such summons, of all such persons as it may think fit to examine in relation to any matter depending before the Court and to require all such persons to produce before the Court or officer all deeds, books, papers and writings relating to such matter and to examine such persons upon oath, or, in case of persons allowed to make affirmations or declarations in lieu of an oath, upon affirmation or declaration, as the case may require. (2) It shall be lawful for the Court or any officer appointed for that purpose, to administer such oath, affirmation or declaration, and every person required by such summonsso to attend, who without reasonable cause, to be allowed by the Court, shall fail to appear according to the tenor of such summons, or shall refuse to be sworn or to make affirmation or declaration, as the case may be, or shall not make answer to all such questions as shall be lawfully put to him or her on such examination, or shall refuse or fail to produce before the Court or officer any such deed, book, paper or writing, being in, or under, his or her custody, possession or power, as shall be Hearing the cause. Attendance of persons. Affidavits receivable in evidence. Ca.p. 20] Escheat lawfully required to be produced by him or her before the Court or officer, shall for such default of appearance, refusal to be sworn, or to make affirmation or declaration, or for not answering any such question as aforesaid or not producing such deed, book, paper or writing, incur and be liable to all such penalties, prosecutions, actions and suits, as a person might incur or be liable to for failing to appear or refusing to be sworn or to give evidence in any suit or matter depending in the Supreme Court, and the Court shall have the like powers, jurisdiction and authority for enforcing the attendance of persons summoned as aforesaid and for punishing persons failing to appear or refusing to be sworn, or to make affirmation or declaration, or to give evidence, or who are guilty of contempt, and generally for enforcing all orders made by the Court under any of the powers or authorities vested in it under this Ordinance, and otherwise in relation to the matters to be inquired into and done under this Ordinance as are, or shall be, vested in the Supreme Court for such purposes in relation to any suit or matter depending in such Court.