44.—(1) Without prejudice to section 16 of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 [1953 c.18] , the judge in any proceedings pending in a county court may, if he thinks fit, upon the application of any party in accordance with county court rules, issue an order under his hand for bringing up before the court any person (in this Article referred to as a “prisoner”) confined in any prison or place under any sentence or under commitment for trial or otherwise to be examined as a witnesss in the proceedings.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), a prisoner shall be brought before the court in the like custody and be dealt with in all respects in the like manner as a prisoner brought before and examined as a witness in the High Court by virtue of a writ of habeas corpus.
(3) A prison governor shall not be bound to obey the order unless there is tendered to him a reasonable sum for the conveyance and maintenance of any proper officers and of the prisoner in going to, remaining at and returning from the court.