Acts and Regulations

M-17 - Motor Vehicle Act

Section 260
Disposition versions

Full text
Demand or direction by peace officer, approved massing device
260(1)Any peace officer may
(a) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device;
(b) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle drive the vehicle forthwith to the location of an approved massing device specified by the peace officer and at such location submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing;
(c) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle, submit the vehicle or the combination of vehicles to an inspection for any purpose under this Part;
(d) where he has reason to believe, upon the massing of a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, that the gross mass of the vehicle, the mass per axle or axles, or the mass distribution of the vehicle related to axle loadings, is greater than the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations,
(i) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to drive the vehicle to a location specified by the peace officer and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until such portion of the load is removed as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations, or
(ii) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to forthwith remove such portion of the load as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations.
260(2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a demand or direction made or given to him by a peace officer under subsection (1) commits an offence.
260(3)Any peace officer, for the purposes of making a demand under paragraph (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(c) may,
(a) signal the operator of a vehicle to stop, and
(b) give the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle as he considers necessary.
260(4)An operator or a person having care or control of a vehicle who fails or refuses to comply with a signal to stop or with a direction as to the operation of the vehicle given to him by a peace officer under subsection (3) commits an offence.
260(4.1)When so directed by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, the operator or person having care or control of any vehicle specified on the device or sign shall drive the vehicle to the location of the massing station or scales indicated on the device or sign and submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device, to having tires measured or to having the load on the vehicle or combination of vehicles inspected for any purpose under this Part.
260(4.2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with subsection (4.1) commits an offence.
260(4.3)A peace officer may give to the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle at a massing station or scales as he considers necessary.
260(4.4)An operator or person having care or control of a vehicle shall comply with a direction by a traffic control device or sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales and with any direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3).
260(4.5)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a direction by a traffic control device or a sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales or with a direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3) commits an offence.
260(5)The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make regulations designating a device of a kind that is designed to measure mass as being an approved massing device for the purposes of this section.
260(6)The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure may in writing designate a person as being qualified
(a) to operate an approved massing device, or
(b) to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(6.1)A person who has been designated under paragraph (6)(a) shall be deemed to be a qualified technician and a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) shall be deemed to be a person qualified to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(7)A certificate of a qualified technician stating that he has massed a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device and stating the result of his massing is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate, and, where the vehicle referred to in the certificate bears the same registration number as the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed, that the vehicle referred to in the certificate is the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(8)A certificate of a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) stating that he has tested an approved massing device and stating the accuracy of such approved massing device is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate.
260(9)Where in any proceedings under section 251 or 258 a vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, has been massed pursuant to a demand made under subsection (1) or to a direction by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, if
(a) the vehicle, or the axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, and
(b) the vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device certified as being accurate on any day within the period of, but not exceeding, 120 days prior to such massing by a person designated under paragraph (6)(b),
evidence of the results of the massing so conducted is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, proof of the gross mass of the vehicle, of the mass per axle or axles thereof or of the mass distribution of the vehicle at the time when the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(10)Any person against whom a certificate described in subsection (7) or (8) is produced may, with leave of the Court, require the attendance of the person signing such certificate for the purposes of cross-examination.
260(11)No certificate referred to in subsection (7) or (8) shall be received in evidence unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the accused reasonable notice of his intention together with a copy of the certificate.
260(12)Where the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle is
(a) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(i) to drive the vehicle to a specified location and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until a portion of the load is removed, or
(b) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(ii) to forthwith remove a portion of the load,
all material so unloaded shall be cared for by the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle at the risk of such operator or person having care or control of the vehicle.
260(13)In this section
“vehicle” includes any vehicle together with any load or loads being carried or towed by that vehicle.
1955, c.13, s.234; 1960, c.53, s.43; 1961-62, c.62, s.92; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1979, c.43, s.9; 1981, c.48, s.12; 1983, c.52, s.30; 1985, c.34, s.21; 1991, c.27, s.28; 1996, c.43, s.15; 1998, c.6, s.14; 2002, c.32, s.13; 2015, c.8, s.2; 2019, c.20, s.9
Maximum mass
260(1)Any peace officer may
(a) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device;
(b) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle drive the vehicle forthwith to the location of an approved massing device specified by the peace officer and at such location submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing;
(c) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle, submit the vehicle or the combination of vehicles to an inspection for any purpose under this Part;
(d) where he has reason to believe, upon the massing of a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, that the gross mass of the vehicle, the mass per axle or axles, or the mass distribution of the vehicle related to axle loadings, is greater than the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations,
(i) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to drive the vehicle to a location specified by the peace officer and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until such portion of the load is removed as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations, or
(ii) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to forthwith remove such portion of the load as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations.
260(2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a demand or direction made or given to him by a peace officer under subsection (1) commits an offence.
260(3)Any peace officer, for the purposes of making a demand under paragraph (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(c) may,
(a) signal the operator of a vehicle to stop, and
(b) give the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle as he considers necessary.
260(4)An operator or a person having care or control of a vehicle who fails or refuses to comply with a signal to stop or with a direction as to the operation of the vehicle given to him by a peace officer under subsection (3) commits an offence.
260(4.1)When so directed by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, the operator or person having care or control of any vehicle specified on the device or sign shall drive the vehicle to the location of the massing station or scales indicated on the device or sign and submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device, to having tires measured or to having the load on the vehicle or combination of vehicles inspected for any purpose under this Part.
260(4.2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with subsection (4.1) commits an offence.
260(4.3)A peace officer may give to the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle at a massing station or scales as he considers necessary.
260(4.4)An operator or person having care or control of a vehicle shall comply with a direction by a traffic control device or sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales and with any direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3).
260(4.5)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a direction by a traffic control device or a sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales or with a direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3) commits an offence.
260(5)The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make regulations designating a device of a kind that is designed to measure mass as being an approved massing device for the purposes of this section, and upon such regulations being published in The Royal Gazette such device shall be deemed to be an approved massing device.
260(6)The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure may in writing designate a person as being qualified
(a) to operate an approved massing device, or
(b) to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(6.1)A person who has been designated under paragraph (6)(a) shall be deemed to be a qualified technician and a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) shall be deemed to be a person qualified to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(7)A certificate of a qualified technician stating that he has massed a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device and stating the result of his massing is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate, and, where the vehicle referred to in the certificate bears the same registration number as the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed, that the vehicle referred to in the certificate is the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(8)A certificate of a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) stating that he has tested an approved massing device and stating the accuracy of such approved massing device is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate.
260(9)Where in any proceedings under section 251 or 258 a vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, has been massed pursuant to a demand made under subsection (1) or to a direction by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, if
(a) the vehicle, or the axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, and
(b) the vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device certified as being accurate on any day within the period of, but not exceeding, 120 days prior to such massing by a person designated under paragraph (6)(b),
evidence of the results of the massing so conducted is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, proof of the gross mass of the vehicle, of the mass per axle or axles thereof or of the mass distribution of the vehicle at the time when the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(10)Any person against whom a certificate described in subsection (7) or (8) is produced may, with leave of the Court, require the attendance of the person signing such certificate for the purposes of cross-examination.
260(11)No certificate referred to in subsection (7) or (8) shall be received in evidence unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the accused reasonable notice of his intention together with a copy of the certificate.
260(12)Where the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle is
(a) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(i) to drive the vehicle to a specified location and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until a portion of the load is removed, or
(b) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(ii) to forthwith remove a portion of the load,
all material so unloaded shall be cared for by the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle at the risk of such operator or person having care or control of the vehicle.
260(13)In this section
“vehicle” includes any vehicle together with any load or loads being carried or towed by that vehicle.
1955, c.13, s.234; 1960, c.53, s.43; 1961-62, c.62, s.92; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1979, c.43, s.9; 1981, c.48, s.12; 1983, c.52, s.30; 1985, c.34, s.21; 1991, c.27, s.28; 1996, c.43, s.15; 1998, c.6, s.14; 2002, c.32, s.13; 2015, c.8, s.2.
Maximum mass
260(1)Any peace officer may
(a) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device;
(b) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle drive the vehicle forthwith to the location of an approved massing device specified by the peace officer and at such location submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing;
(c) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle, submit the vehicle or the combination of vehicles to an inspection for any purpose under this Part;
(d) where he has reason to believe, upon the massing of a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, that the gross mass of the vehicle, the mass per axle or axles, or the mass distribution of the vehicle related to axle loadings, is greater than the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations,
(i) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to drive the vehicle to a location specified by the peace officer and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until such portion of the load is removed as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations, or
(ii) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to forthwith remove such portion of the load as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations.
260(2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a demand or direction made or given to him by a peace officer under subsection (1) commits an offence.
260(3)Any peace officer, for the purposes of making a demand under paragraph (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(c) may,
(a) signal the operator of a vehicle to stop, and
(b) give the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle as he considers necessary.
260(4)An operator or a person having care or control of a vehicle who fails or refuses to comply with a signal to stop or with a direction as to the operation of the vehicle given to him by a peace officer under subsection (3) commits an offence.
260(4.1)When so directed by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, the operator or person having care or control of any vehicle specified on the device or sign shall drive the vehicle to the location of the massing station or scales indicated on the device or sign and submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device, to having tires measured or to having the load on the vehicle or combination of vehicles inspected for any purpose under this Part.
260(4.2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with subsection (4.1) commits an offence.
260(4.3)A peace officer may give to the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle at a massing station or scales as he considers necessary.
260(4.4)An operator or person having care or control of a vehicle shall comply with a direction by a traffic control device or sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales and with any direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3).
260(4.5)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a direction by a traffic control device or a sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales or with a direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3) commits an offence.
260(5)The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make regulations designating a device of a kind that is designed to measure mass as being an approved massing device for the purposes of this section, and upon such regulations being published in The Royal Gazette such device shall be deemed to be an approved massing device.
260(6)The Minister may in writing designate a person as being qualified
(a) to operate an approved massing device, or
(b) to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(6.1)A person who has been designated under paragraph (6)(a) shall be deemed to be a qualified technician and a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) shall be deemed to be a person qualified to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(7)A certificate of a qualified technician stating that he has massed a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device and stating the result of his massing is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate, and, where the vehicle referred to in the certificate bears the same registration number as the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed, that the vehicle referred to in the certificate is the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(8)A certificate of a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) stating that he has tested an approved massing device and stating the accuracy of such approved massing device is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate.
260(9)Where in any proceedings under section 251 or 258 a vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, has been massed pursuant to a demand made under subsection (1) or to a direction by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, if
(a) the vehicle, or the axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, and
(b) the vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device certified as being accurate on any day within the period of, but not exceeding, sixty days prior to such massing by a person designated under paragraph (6)(b),
evidence of the results of the massing so conducted is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, proof of the gross mass of the vehicle, of the mass per axle or axles thereof or of the mass distribution of the vehicle at the time when the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(10)Any person against whom a certificate described in subsection (7) or (8) is produced may, with leave of the Court, require the attendance of the person signing such certificate for the purposes of cross-examination.
260(11)No certificate referred to in subsection (7) or (8) shall be received in evidence unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the accused reasonable notice of his intention together with a copy of the certificate.
260(12)Where the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle is
(a) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(i) to drive the vehicle to a specified location and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until a portion of the load is removed, or
(b) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(ii) to forthwith remove a portion of the load,
all material so unloaded shall be cared for by the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle at the risk of such operator or person having care or control of the vehicle.
260(13)In this section
“vehicle” includes any vehicle together with any load or loads being carried or towed by that vehicle.
1955, c.13, s.234; 1960, c.53, s.43; 1961-62, c.62, s.92; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1979, c.43, s.9; 1981, c.48, s.12; 1983, c.52, s.30; 1985, c.34, s.21; 1991, c.27, s.28; 1996, c.43, s.15; 1998, c.6, s.14; 2002, c.32, s.13
Maximum mass
260(1)Any peace officer may
(a) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device;
(b) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle drive the vehicle forthwith to the location of an approved massing device specified by the peace officer and at such location submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing;
(c) demand that the operator of a vehicle or, when the vehicle is not then being operated, the person having care or control of the vehicle, submit the vehicle or the combination of vehicles to an inspection for any purpose under this Part;
(d) where he has reason to believe, upon the massing of a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, that the gross mass of the vehicle, the mass per axle or axles, or the mass distribution of the vehicle related to axle loadings, is greater than the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations,
(i) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to drive the vehicle to a location specified by the peace officer and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until such portion of the load is removed as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations, or
(ii) direct the operator or person having care or control of the vehicle to forthwith remove such portion of the load as may be necessary to reduce the gross mass of the vehicle or the mass per axle or axles, or to correct the mass distribution of the vehicle, to within the limit permitted by this Act or the regulations.
260(2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a demand or direction made or given to him by a peace officer under subsection (1) commits an offence.
260(3)Any peace officer, for the purposes of making a demand under paragraph (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(c) may,
(a) signal the operator of a vehicle to stop, and
(b) give the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle as he considers necessary.
260(4)An operator or a person having care or control of a vehicle who fails or refuses to comply with a signal to stop or with a direction as to the operation of the vehicle given to him by a peace officer under subsection (3) commits an offence.
260(4.1)When so directed by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, the operator or person having care or control of any vehicle specified on the device or sign shall drive the vehicle to the location of the massing station or scales indicated on the device or sign and submit the vehicle or an axle or axles thereof to a massing by means of an approved massing device, to having tires measured or to having the load on the vehicle or combination of vehicles inspected for any purpose under this Part.
260(4.2)A person who fails or refuses to comply with subsection (4.1) commits an offence.
260(4.3)A peace officer may give to the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle such directions as to the operation of the vehicle at a massing station or scales as he considers necessary.
260(4.4)An operator or person having care or control of a vehicle shall comply with a direction by a traffic control device or sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales and with any direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3).
260(4.5)A person who fails or refuses to comply with a direction by a traffic control device or a sign as to the operation of a vehicle at a massing station or scales or with a direction given by a peace officer under subsection (4.3) commits an offence.
260(5)The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make regulations designating a device of a kind that is designed to measure mass as being an approved massing device for the purposes of this section, and upon such regulations being published in The Royal Gazette such device shall be deemed to be an approved massing device.
260(6)The Minister may in writing designate a person as being qualified
(a) to operate an approved massing device, or
(b) to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(6.1)A person who has been designated under paragraph (6)(a) shall be deemed to be a qualified technician and a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) shall be deemed to be a person qualified to test, determine and certify the accuracy of any approved massing device.
260(7)A certificate of a qualified technician stating that he has massed a vehicle or an axle or axles thereof by means of an approved massing device and stating the result of his massing is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate, and, where the vehicle referred to in the certificate bears the same registration number as the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed, that the vehicle referred to in the certificate is the vehicle in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(8)A certificate of a person designated under paragraph (6)(b) stating that he has tested an approved massing device and stating the accuracy of such approved massing device is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate.
260(9)Where in any proceedings under section 251 or 258 a vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, has been massed pursuant to a demand made under subsection (1) or to a direction by a traffic control device or sign on a highway, if
(a) the vehicle, or the axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device operated by a qualified technician, and
(b) the vehicle, or an axle or axles thereof, was massed by means of an approved massing device certified as being accurate on any day within the period of, but not exceeding, sixty days prior to such massing by a person designated under paragraph (6)(b),
evidence of the results of the massing so conducted is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, proof of the gross mass of the vehicle, of the mass per axle or axles thereof or of the mass distribution of the vehicle at the time when the offence is alleged to have been committed.
260(10)Any person against whom a certificate described in subsection (7) or (8) is produced may, with leave of the Court, require the attendance of the person signing such certificate for the purposes of cross-examination.
260(11)No certificate referred to in subsection (7) or (8) shall be received in evidence unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the accused reasonable notice of his intention together with a copy of the certificate.
260(12)Where the operator or the person having care or control of a vehicle is
(a) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(i) to drive the vehicle to a specified location and to leave the vehicle standing at that location until a portion of the load is removed, or
(b) directed under subparagraph (1)(d)(ii) to forthwith remove a portion of the load,
all material so unloaded shall be cared for by the operator or the person having care or control of the vehicle at the risk of such operator or person having care or control of the vehicle.
260(13)In this section
“vehicle” includes any vehicle together with any load or loads being carried or towed by that vehicle.
1955, c.13, s.234; 1960, c.53, s.43; 1961-62, c.62, s.92; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1979, c.43, s.9; 1981, c.48, s.12; 1983, c.52, s.30; 1985, c.34, s.21; 1991, c.27, s.28; 1996, c.43, s.15; 1998, c.6, s.14; 2002, c.32, s.13