LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
REGISTERED DESIGNS (TRIBUNAL) RULES ARRANGEMENT OF RULES
RULE PRELIMINARY
1. Title and commencement 2. Interpretation
PART 1 APPEALS
3. Entry of appeal 4. Application for an extension of time in which to appeal 5. Notice of hearing 6. Evidence 7. Attendance of witnesses 8. Security on appeal 9. Abandonment or failure to prosecute appeal 10. Frivolous or vexatious appeals
PART II APPLICATIONS
11. Dispute as to Government use 12. Rectification of register 13. Hearing of applications 14. Evidence by affidavit 15. Costs
PART III TAXATION OF COSTS
16. Registration of Tribunal to be Taxing Officer 17. Necessary and proper costs to be allowed 18. Scale of fees to be followed 19. Witnesses’ charges and allowances 20. Taxation of costs 21. Review of decision of Taxing Officer 22. Reference to Chairman in chambers
PART IV GENERAL
23. Adjournment of proceedings 24. Place of hearing 25. Forms 26. Fees 27. Endorsement of fee on document chargeable 28. Oath to be taken by assessors appointed under section 37 29. Remuneration of assessors.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
REGISTERED DESIGNS (TRIBUNAL) RULES ARRANGEMENT OF RULES
RULE PRELIMINARY
FIRST SCHEDULE
Forms
SECOND SCHEDULE
Fees
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166/1967
LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
REGISTERED DESIGNS (TRIBUNAL) RULES G.N. 274/1958(F)
5/1964(M)
Under Section 38
PRELIMINARY
Citation1. These rules may be cited as the Registered Designs (Tribunal) Rules and shall come into operation o the 1st December 1958.
2. In these rules, unless inconsistent with the context:- Interpretation
“Office” means the Designs Office “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Patents Tribunal; “section” means a section of the Act.
PART 1 L.R.O. 1/1993APPEALS
3. (1) Any person who desires to appeal to the Tribunal from a decision of the Registrar of Designs in any matter in which a right of appeal is given under the Act shall, within three months after the date of the decision, file with the registrar of the Tribunal a notice in form D.T. No. 1.
(2) A notice of appeal shall state the nature of the decision appealed against and whether the appeal is from the whole or part only and, if so, what part of the decision, and shall be accompanied by a statement in writing of the appellant’s grounds of appeal.
(3) The appellant shall send a copy of the notice of appeal to the Registrar of Designs and to any person or persons who appeared or gave notice of opposition in the proceedings before the said Registrar.
(4) The appellant shall be responsible for the preparation of the record which shall be certified by the Registrar of Designs as correct in terms of sub-rule (7).
(5) The Registrar of Designs as well as the parties or their legal practitioners shall endeavour to exclude from the record all documents (more particularly such as are purely formal) that are not relevant to the subject matter of the appeal, and generally to reduce the bulk of the record as far as practicable, and to avoid the production of unnecessary exhibits, taking special care to avoid the duplication of documents and the unnecessary repetition of headings, and furnish merely the formal particulars of documents; but the documents omitted to be copied shall be enumerated in a list to be placed after the index or at the end of the record.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
(6) After the completion of the preparation of the record the Registrar of Designs shall certify the record to be correct and forward it to the registrar of the Tribunal together with such copies thereof as he has directed to be prepared in terms of sub-rule (6).
4. (1) Any application for an extension of time in which to appeal shall be in form D.T. No.2 and shall state briefly the grounds upon which the application is based and where facts are alleged such facts be verified by affidavit.
(2) The application accompanied by supporting documents shall be delivered to the registrar of the Tribunal and copies shall forthwith be served by the appellant on the Registrar of Designs and on any person or persons who appeared or gave notice of opposition in the proceedings before the said Registrar.
(3) The respondent shall be entitled to file an affidavit in reply within fourteen days from the date of service or within such longer period as may be ordered by the Tribunal, and the Tribunal may permit further affidavits to be filed. Copies of such affidavits shall be served o the Registrar of Designs and on the appellant or the respondent, as the case may be, immediately after the affidavits are filed.
5. (1) The Registrar of the Tribunal shall, after obtaining directions from the Chairman, give to the Registrar of Designs, to the appellant and to any opposing party not less than fourteen days’ notice of the time and place appointed for the hearing of the appeal,. Unless the Chairman directs that shorter notice shall be given.
(2) In any case where the setting down of the hearing of an appeal has been delayed any party may apply to the registrar of the Tribunal to fix a date for the hearing, and thereupon the registrar of he Tribunal, after consulting any other party and the Chairman, shall set down the appeal for hearing after having given to the Registrar of Designs and to any other party not less than fourteen days’ notice or such shorter notice of the time and place appointed for the hearing of the appeal as directed by the Chairman.
(3) If in the opinion of the registrar of the Tribunal an appeal is not being prosecuted timeously he may lay the matter before the Chairman for directions and, if the Chairman is satisfied that the parties do not intend or are unable to proceed with the appeal, he may direct that the parties attend before him to show cause why the appeal should not be dismissed.
Application for an extension of time in which to appeal.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
6. Subject to section 35(6) the evidence used on appeal to the Tribunal shall be the same as that used before the Registrar of Designs, and no further evidence shall be given except with the leave of the Tribunal.
7. The Tribunal may, at the request of any party, order the attendance at the hearing for the purpose of cross-examination of any person who has given evidence in the matter to which the appeal relates.
8. (1) Subject to section 44 any party may, at any time before the hearing of an appeal, apply to the Tribunal for an order that any opposing party shall, within such time, in such amount and in such manner as the Tribunal directs, give security for the payment of any costs which such opposing party may be ordered to pay.
(2) The party applying for an order for security for costs shall serve upon the opposing party a copy of the notice of the application for security at least seven days before the date of the hearing thereof.
(3) Any party ordered to give security for costs in terms of this rule may apply to the Tribunal for an order extending the time within which any security is to be given, and shall give not less than four days’ notice of such application to the other party.
(4) In the event of the security not being given or being only partly given within the time directed by the Tribunal or any extension thereof, all proceedings in the appeal shall be deemed to be stayed, unless the Tribunal otherwise orders, and the appeal shall be set down for such order, whether of dismissal or otherwise, as the Tribunal may think fit.
9. (1) An appellant may at any time abandon his appeal by giving notice of abandonment in form D.T. No. 3 to the registrar of the Tribunal and upon such notice being given the appeal shall be deemed to have been dismissed by the Tribunal.
(2) The appellant shall serve a copy of the notice of abandonment on the respondent and on the Registrar of Designs.
(3) The respondent may, upon receipt of such notice, apply to the Tribunal for an order in respect of any costs incurred by him.
10. If it appears to the Tribunal that any notice of appeal against a decision of the Registrar of Designs discloses grounds of appeal which are frivolous or vexatious and that the appeal can be determined without a hearing, the Tribunal may dismiss the appeal summarily without calling on any person to attend the hearing of such appeal.
Evidence
Attendance of witnesses.
Security on appeal
Abandonment or failure to prosecute appeal.
LRO 1/1968
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
PART II APPLICATIONS
11. (1) Any reference to the Tribunal under section 21 by a party to a dispute Dispute as to Government use.(hereinafter referred to as the “the claimant”) shall be made in from DT. No. 4
and shall be filed with the Registrar of Designs.
(2) The claimant shall by affidavit verify the facts upon which he relies and shall state fully the nature of his interest in the matter in dispute and the relief which he seeks.
(3) The claimant shall serve a copy of his claim and of the relevant affidavit upon the other party to the dispute.
(4) The other party shall within two months from the date of receipt of such copy deliver to the Registrar of Designs a counter-statement, verified by affidavit, setting out fully the nature of his interest and the facts upon which he relies, and shall at the same time serve upon the claimant a copy of the counterstatement and of such affidavit.
(5) Proof of service shall be furnished to the satisfaction of the Registrar of Designs.
(6) When this rule has been complied with to the extent herein required, the Registrar of Designs shall hand all relevant papers to the registrar of the Tribunal.
(7) Any party to the dispute may at any time during the proceedings under this rule make application to the Tribunal for an order for hearing of oral evidence, and the Tribunal shall make such order as it deems fit.
Rectification of12. An application for the rectification of the register under section 24 shall be register made to the Tribunal in form DT. No. 5 and a copy thereof shall be served on the Registrar of Designs and on any other person appearing from the register to be interested in the design.
13. (1) When the registrar of the Tribunal has received from the Registrar of Hearing of Designs the papers of written proceedings in relation to any application or applications other matter made to the Tribunal under the Act, he shall, after taking directions form the Chairman, appoint a time and place for the hearing of the case, and shall give the parties at least fourteen days’ notice of the appointment.
(2) After hearing the party or parties desiring to be heard, or, if none of the parties desires to heard, then without a hearing, the Tribunal shall decide the case and notify its decision to the parties.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
14. (1) All evidence shall be by affidavit unless otherwise directed by the Tribunal.
(2) Whenever a time is specified in this Part within which any act or thing is to be done, the Registrar of Designs may, on application made to him in writing, extend the time either before or after its expiration or within any extended period.
15. If the applicant notifies the Tribunal that he does not desire to proceed with an application, the Tribunal in deciding whether costs should be awarded to the other party shall consider whether proceedings might have been avoided if such other party had given reasonable notice to the applicant before the application to the Tribunal was filed.
PART III TAXATION OF COSTS
16. The registrar of the Tribunal shall be the Taxing Officer for the purpose of taxing a bill of costs of a legal practitioner, and in the taxation of costs shall comply with such instructions as may from time to time be given to him by the Tribunal for that purpose.
17. (1) With a view to affording the party who has been awarded an order for costs a full indemnity for all costs reasonably incurred by him in relation to his application or opposition, and to ensure that all such costs shall be borne by the party against whom such order has been awarded by the Tribunal, the Taxing Officer shall on every taxation allow all such costs, charges and expenses as appear to him to have been necessary or proper for the attainment of justice or for defending the rights of any party, but, save as against the party who incurred the same, no costs shall be allowed which appear to the Taxing Officer to have been incurred or increased through over-caution, negligence or mistake, or by payment of a special fee to counsel, unless the Tribunal otherwise orders or special charges and expenses to witnesses or other persons or by other unusual expenses.
(2) Upon the taxation of costs the Taxing Officer may, in determining the remuneration to be allowed, have regard to the skill, labour and responsibility involved. If, on having regard to the said matters, the Taxing Officer considers that there are special reasons why costs in excess of those prescribed in the Second Schedule should be allowed, he may, in respect of any particular application made or business done, allow such costs as seem to him reasonable and shall certify his decision in writing.
(3) Any person aggrieved by the charges made by any legal practitioner in respect of work performed by him under the Act may refer such charges to the Taxing Officer for taxation.
Evidence by affidavit
Costs
Registrar of Tribunal to be Taxing Officer.
Necessary and proper costs to be allowed.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
18. In the taxation of costs the Taxing Officer shall be guided, as far as the circumstances of each particular case will permit, by the scale of fees prescribed in Part IV of the Second Schedule. In addition to these charges all disbursements shall be separately charged and shall be allowed by the Taxing Officer when reasonable.
19. (1) Witnesses requiring payment shall be paid for their attendance and traveling in accordance with the tariff prescribed in Part II of the Second Schedule.
(2) The charges for witnesses as fixed by tariff are to be considered as payable to the witness by the party who summoned or produced him, and in the event of any such party being awarded his costs against any other party the said charges shall be allowed against such other party in the taxation of costs.
(3) Any person applying to the registrar of the Tribunal for the issue of a subpoena to compel the attendance of any witness shall be endorsement of such subpoena give an undertaking that all expenses due to the witness shall be tendered to such witness upon service of the subpoena, failing which no subpoena shall issue. If upon service of the subpoena all expenses due to such witness have not been paid the subpoena shall have no force and effect.
(4) In the taxation of costs between party and party no amount shall be allowed for any witness whether for attendance or traveling expenses unless there is produced to the Taxing Officer proof that such amount has already been paid or tendered to or claimed by such witness.
(5) In the taxation of costs between party and party nothing shall be allowed for any witness not examined unless upon proof that his evidence might reasonably have been believed to be material and necessary.
(6) If the number of witnesses summoned, or if the number of affidavits filed, is manifestly greater than is reasonably necessary, there shall only be allowed against the other party the charges for such witnesses or affidavits as were reasonably necessary.
(7) In the taxation of costs between party and party no amount shall be allowed for any witness in respect of personal attendance or traveling expenses if the fact or facts which such witness is subpoenaed to prove have, before the issue of such subpoena, been admitted to the party taking out the subpoena by the opposite party.
Provided that such admission shall be in writing, signed by the party making it or his legal practitioner acting on his behalf.
Scale of fees to be followed.
Witnesses’ charges and allowances.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
(8) When the same person is a witness in more cases than one heard on the same day, he shall be entitled to no more than one fee for personal attendance and one allowance for traveling expenses, which shall be equally divided between such cases.
20. (1) In all cases where a notice of taxation is necessary, seven days’ notice together with a copy of the bill of costs shall be given by the legal practitioner on behalf of the party whose costs are to be taxed to the other party or to the legal practitioner of such other party.
(2) When the dwelling-house or place of business of the party against whom costs are to be taxed is more than thirty-six miles from the seat of the Tribunal, the time for the service of such notice shall be extended to fourteen days.
(3) In the taxation of costs, the notice of taxation with a copy of the bill of costs may be transmitted by registered post to the party appearing in person.
21. Any party aggrieved by the decision of the Taxing Officer may apply to the Tribunal within four weeks after the taxation to review such taxation. Copies of the application shall be served on the Taxing Officer and on the opposite party. The application shall specify the items forming the subject of the grievance but the grounds upon which such items are sought to be reviewed shall not require to be verified by affidavit.
22. Taxing Officer may, without filing any formal documents, submit any point arising at a taxation for decision by the Chairman in chambers, and it shall be competent for the Taxing Officer and for the legal practitioners who appeared at the taxation to appear before the Chairman respecting such point.
PART IV GENERAL
23. The hearing of an application or other matter before the Tribunal may from time to time be adjourned upon such terms as the Tribunal thinks fit.
24. (1) Except as provided in sub-rule (2) every hearing before the Tribunal shall be in Blantyre
(2) One or more of the parties may, not later than fourteen days before the date approved for the hearing, apply to the Tribunal to conduct the hearing at some other place in Malawi. The Tribunal may, in its discretion and subject to such conditions as to notice and costs as it thinks fit, conduct the hearing at the place named in the application.
(3) Where an application under sub-rule (2) is not made by all the parties to the proceedings, the Tribunal shall not decide the application without giving the parties an opportunity to be heard.
Taxation of costs.
Review of decision of Taxing Officer.
Reference to Chairman in chambers.
Adjournment of proceedings
Place of hearing
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
25. The forms referred to in these Rules are those set out in the First Schedule and such forms shall be used in all cases to which they are applicable and may be modified as directed by the Chairman.
26. The Tribunal prescribed in Part I of the Second Schedule shall be paid to the Registrar of Designs at the Office.
27. (1) Upon receipt of any document chargeable with any fee payable in terms of these rules the Registrar of Designs shall endorse upon the original of such document the amount of the fee paid and the date of payment.
(2) The Registrar of Designs shall refuse to accept any document in respect of which a fee is payable under these rules, unless the appropriate fee accompanies such document.
28. The form of oath to be taken by assessors shall be as follows:-
I, …………………………………………….. hereby declare that I will to the best of my ability faithfully and diligently discharge any duties as assessor without favour, fear or prejudice.
29. The remuneration of any assessor appointed under section 37 shall be as prescribed in Part III of the Second Schedule.
FIRST SCHEDULE FORMS
Form Matter Rule
1 Notice of appeal to Tribunal 3(1) 2. Application for an extension of time in which to appeal 4(1) 3 Notice of abandonment of appeal 9(1) 4. Reference to the Tribunal under section 21 11(1) 5 Application for rectification of register of designs 12
Forms
Fees.
Endorsement of fee on document chargeable.
Oath to be taken by assessors appointed under section 37.
Remuneration of assessors.
Rule 25
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
Form D.T. No. 2 REGISTERED DESIGNS ACT
CAP. 49:05 Fee:£2.10s
Notice of Appeal to Tribunal
IN THE MATTER of an application (1) ……………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………….
.and IN THE MATTER of an opposition by (2) ……………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………….
I/We (3) ………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. Hereby give notice of appeal to the Tribunal from (4) ………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. of the Registrar of Designs, dated the ……………………. day of ……………………. 200…. whereby he (5) ………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………….
Dated this ………………….. day of …………………………………………….. 200…
(6)…………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………
My/Our address for service in Malawi ……………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………
The Registrar of the Patents Tribunal P.O. Box 100 BLANTYRE
Section 35 and 39 rule 3(1) (1) State nature of application or proceedings, the name of the applicant(s) and the number of the application for registration of design. (2) State the name of the opponent(s) if the application is opposed. (3) State full name and address of appellant(s). (4) Here insert “the decision” or “that part of the decision”, as the case may be. (5) Here insert “refused application for registration of a design” or “refused (or granted) application for compulsory licence” or otherwise, as the case may be. (6) To be signed by the appellant(s) or his/their legal practitioner.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Rule 9(1) Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
Form D.T. No. 3 REGISTERED DESIGNS ACT
CAP. 49:05 Fee :Nil
Notice of Abandonment of Appeal
IN THE MATTER of an application (1) ……………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………….
.and IN THE MATTER of an opposition by (2) ……………………………………………… ………………………………………………………….………………………………… You are hereby notified that the above-named appellant(s) hereby abandon(s) all further proceedings in the above matter.
Dated this ……………………. Day of …………………………….. 200…
(3) ……………………………………………. …………………………………………….
The Registrar of the Patents Tribunal, P.O. Box 100 BLANTYRE
(1) State nature of application or proceedings, the name of the applicant(s) and the number of the application for registration of design.
(2) State the name of the opponent(s) if the application is opposed.
(3) To be signed by the appellant(s) or his/their legal practitioner.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
Form D.T. No. 4 REGISTERED DESIGNS ACT
CAP. 49:05 Fee :Nil
Notice of Abandonment of Appeal
IN THE MATTER of a reference (1) ……………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………….
against (2) ………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………… I/We (3) ……………………………………………….……………………………… ………………………………………………………….………………………………… Hereby refer for the determination of the Tribunal my/our claim against (4) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………… The following are the grounds on which I/We base my/our claim:- (5) ……………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………… Dated this ……………………. Day of …………………………….. 200…
(6) ……………………………………………. …………………………………………….
My/Our address for service in Malawi:- ……………………………………………. …………………………………………….
The Registrar of the Patents Tribunal, P.O. Box 100 BLANTYRE
NOTE: The claim must be accompanied by an affidavit verifying the facts and starting fully the nature of the interest in the matter in dispute and the relief sought.
Section 21 Rule 11(1)
(1) State nature of claimant(s) and nature of matter in dispute.
(2) State name of other party to dispute.
(3) State full name and address of claimant(s).
(4) State full name of respondent.
(5) Here state briefly the nature of the grounds.
(6) To be signed by the claimant(s) or his/their legal practitioner.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Section 24 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
Form D.T. No. 5 REGISTERED DESIGNS ACT
CAP. 49:05 Fee :£1.
Application for Rectification of Register of Designs
I/We (1) ………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. …….…………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………….…………………………………………….……………………………… ………………………………………………………….………………………………… Hereby apply in respect of Design No. ……………………. that the register may be rectified in the following manner (2) …………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………… The grounds upon which I/We base this application are as follows:- (3) ……………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………… Dated this ……………………. Day of …………………………….. 200…
(4) ……………………………………………. …………………………………………….
My/Our address for service in Malawi:- ……………………………………………. …………………………………………….
The Registrar of the Patents Tribunal, P.O. Box 100 BLANTYRE
Rule 12.
(1) State name and address of applicant(s).
State manner in which register is to be rectified.
(3) State briefly the grounds.
(4) To be signed by the applicant(s) or his/their legal practitioner.
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
SECOND SCHEDULE PART I
TRIBUNAL FEES
Rules 18, 19, 26Item Matter Amount and 29£ s d
1 On every appeal to the Tribunal from decision or order of the Registrar of Designs – inclusive fee. 2 10 0
2. On a reference to the Tribunal under section 21 2 10 0 3. On application for rectification of register of designs 1 0 0 4 On every search 0 2 6
5 For typewritten copies of judgments or records, for additional 0 2 6 copies of orders or for copies of documents or proceedings furnished upon direction of the register of the Tribunal:
The first copy for each folio of 100 words or part thereof 0 1 6
Additional copies for each folio of 100 words or part thereof 0 0 6
6. On certifying any document as an office copy 0 5 0
7. Transcript of shorthand writer’s notes such fee as may be determined by the
Minister
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LAWS OF MALAWI
Registered Designs Cap. 49:05 Registered Designs(Tribunal) Rules [Subsidiary]
PART II
SUBSISTENCE AND TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES PAYABLE TO WITNESSES
Witness attending the Tribunal shall be paid subsistence and traveling allowances at the rates prescribed.
PART III
REMUNERATION OF ASSESSORS
An assessor shall be remunerated at the rate of £1.1s.0d per hour or part thereof, but his remuneration shall not exceed £5.5s. 0d per day, unless the Minister, with the approval of the Minister of Finance otherwise directs. An assessor shall in addition be paid a traveling allowance at the rates prescribed.
PART IV
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS’ FEES
Legal practitioners’ fees in any appeal, application, opposition or other matter heard before the Tribunal shall be in accordance with the tariff of fees prescribed, save as hereinafter provided:-
Perusal of any necessary document_
For the first 10 folios – per folio 2s 6d. For each subsequent folio 1s 0d.
L.R.O. 1/1968
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