Stannaries Act 1855

XXII Production of Lists of Shareholders in Mines.

In all Cases of Mines in the Stannaries worked by Partnerships or Companies of Adventurers professing to adopt or to be constituted on the Cost Book System or Principle, it shall be lawful for the Vice-Warden, upon Application of any Adventurer or Shareholder in the Mine or Creditor of the Adventurers, founded on sufficient Grounds verified by Affidavit, although no Suit be pending touching the said Mine or Adventurers, to compel Production by Rule or Order of a List or Lists of all Adventurers or Shareholders for the Time being by the Purser or other principal Agent or Manager, Clerk, or Secretary of the Mine, and whether such Person be then within the Jurisdiction of the Court or elsewhere, for Inspection of the Applicant; and if such List shall not be produced, showing truly the Name, Address, and Number of Shares of each and every Adventurer or Shareholder, and the Time when each became an Adventurer or Shareholder, so far as the same are known or can be ascertained, then it shall be lawful for the Vice-Warden at his Discretion, after Fourteen Days previous Notice of his Intention served on the Person so ordered to produce, and also affixed to the Account House of the Mine, or left at the principal Office or House of Business of the Adventurers within the Stannaries or elsewhere, to declare that the Partnership or Company is not carried on or constituted on the Cost Book System or Principle ; and the said Partnership or Company shall thereupon no longer be deemed or taken to be for any Purpose a Partnership, Association, or Company within the Exemption of Mining Partnerships contained in the [7 & 8 Vict. c. 110.] Act passed in the present Reign, entitled An Act for the Registration, Incorporation, and Regulation of Joint Stock Companies, or within the conditional Exemption contained in the Joint Stock Companies Winding-up Amendment Act, 1849 ; and in all Cases of like Mines and Partnerships, it shall be lawful for the Vice-Warden, upon Application of any Adventurer or Shareholder founded on sufficient Grounds and Affidavit, and although no Suit be then pending, to make a Rule or Order for Production of the Cost Books of the Mine, List of Adventurers, and such other Books and Documents relating to the Mine and Management thereof as the Vice-Warden shall think proper, for Inspection of such Applicant, and to enforce such Rule or Order by Attachment within the Stannaries, or by causing the same to be made a Rule or Order of one of the Superior Courts at Westminster under the Statute in such Case made and provided.